Baking is super fun and it can often become somewhat of an obsession and so you may be wondering instead of going out to buy a cake tin if you can use something you already have at home. Stainless steel pans are versatile and easy to use and make the perfect mould for cake making.
You can use stainless steel pans for baking mixing in the mixture and also baking in the oven. Though Stainless steel pans are not the best conductor of heat and you may find your baking doesn’t cook evenly and so may not be the result you want. Pans coated in aluminium are better for baking.
In this article, I am going to talk about whether you can use stainless steel pans for baking, if it is safe and what you need to know before you get started.
Can You Use A Stainless Steel Pan For Baking?
Yes, most of us are familiar with using stainless steel as cookware. But did you know you can use a stainless steel pan for baking? Most certainly, you can! Stainless steel bakeware is a safe and durable metal that you can use for all oven purposes. They are great because they last for a long time. Also, it is much stronger and resistant to rust compared to other metals.
Stainless steel is renowned for its quality look and shiny appearance. It is made of high-quality steel metal, yet still lightweight. Its classic look and durability make it one of the most common kitchen containers found in most homes. It can come in various shapes and sizes, from pots, bowls to pans. Each stainless steel product serves a different purpose.
Stainless steel is an iron alloy containing at least 11.5% chromium. The chromium makes these metals difficult to rust, and It also includes 10% of nickel. When compared to glass bowls, stainless steel bowls last longer. Also, they do not leave stains or odors like plastic bowls.
You can use them to mix your baking dough with a mixer or prep food in them. You can even store food in a stainless steel bowl, provided you cover the bowl with a lid before storing it in the freezer. Stainless steel pans are not a good conductor for heat. However, some pans may not evenly distribute heat which will affect the outcome of your baked food. Still, there are good stainless steel pans coated with aluminium surfaces that are non-stick and are great for making yummy baked goods! We will recommend our top ticks for you!
Stainless steel bakeware is more cost-effective because they last for ages. Its versatile and non-corrosive nature makes it a must-have in every kitchen! We recommend stainless steel for mixing because you can melt your butter with it in the microwave and mix in the other ingredients. It makes mixing pretty convenient and enjoyable. You don’t need to transfer ingredients from bowl to bowl, only to leave a trail of dirty dishes behind. You can also insert a hand mixer or electric mixer in your bowl and mix away!
You can use stainless steel bowls to mix and raise your bread dough. Just make sure the bowl is large enough to contain the raised dough. First, after mixing your ingredients, knead the dough right in the bowl before leaving it to rise.
We advise using Stainless steel bowls during baking prep because other metal bowls like aluminum or copper may leach into your food. Copper, in particular, has been linked to research that shows that mixing yeast into a copper bowl will release toxins into your food. Also, it can affect the dough from rising properly.
Does It Affect The Taste Of The Food?
Stainless steel will not stain. However, it is not immune to scratching. The scratches on a stainless steel bowl or pan can expose the pan’s bare metal, which can change the taste of your food. Although this happens, it is usually harmless. For example, sometimes, we can’t help but sharpen our stainless steel knives, revealing scratches.
That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t sharpen our knives and buy new knives once the old one is blunt. Stainless steel contains nickel in small amounts. For you to be sure that your Stainless steel utensils do not change the taste of your food, wash your pans and bowls with a bit of detergent and a sponge. Please do not use a hard scrubbing sponge because it will only cause more scratches. If your food is stuck to the bottom of your pan, soak it with water and soap to dislodge the food items.
You can also add a bit of baking soda to the mix because backing soda is a mild abrasive; when combined with scrubbing, it can be very effective in cleaning pans and leaving them shiny. Lastly, rinse the pan off and pat to dry.
Lastly, stainless steel is non-reactive. It means that this type of pan does not react to chemicals from food. For instance, pouring trace amounts of vinegar in an aluminium pan and allowing it to sit for some time will cause the pan to rust. However, this isn’t the same for stainless steel, which does not react to acidic foods.
Can I Use A Stainless Steel Pan For Baking In The Oven?
Stainless steel pans come in all sizes and shapes for your baking needs. There are round pans to make circular cakes, square-shaped pans, bread pans, muffin pans, and more. You can select your desired shape and use it to make your baked food.
Stainless steel pans are great for making cakes. However, they are notorious for sticking to the pan. To avoid this, you should brush the inner part of your pan with vegetable oil, making sure to cover every surface. Next, before you pour your cake batter into the pan, preheat the pan to 230 degrees F.
It should be a little hot so that when you put the pan back in the oven, the oven will properly distribute heat all over the pan.
Stainless steel pans work like regular cake pans, only that they are more durable. Stainless steel sheet pans are also great for baking cookies, rolls, biscuits, and other baked goods. It is very versatile, and its large surface area means that you can use it for baking several baked goods at once.
You can bake meat, vegetable, fish, or bread using these inexpensive sheet pans. Also, you can add a rack to it to perform more functions in the kitchen.
How Best To Use A Stainless Steel Pan For Baking?
Stainless steel is a healthy metal. So don’t worry about toxins in your food. To bake delicious recipes with a stainless steel pan, you must first preheat the pan and then add oil to it before pouring your batter.
You can make bread, cakes, cinnamon rolls; the list is endless. Stainless steel pans are high-quality bakeware used in top restaurants and by renowned chefs. Bake your delicious treats as you usually would with an aluminum or silicone pan.
Lastly, Stainless steel is known for sticking food to its edges, so make sure you preheat and oil your pan before use. It really does the job!
Hi all! I’m Cora Benson, and I’ve been blogging about food, recipes and things that happen in my kitchen since 2019.