Best Nontoxic Cake Pans Rated
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Today I’m sharing my top picks for the best nontoxic cake pans! If you’re looking to purchase or upgrade your cake pan, nontoxic is the way to go. I chose four of the top nontoxic cake pans, baked the same exact cake in all of them, and I’m sharing the results!
If you’re looking for more nontoxic baking supplies, check out some of my other posts like The Best Nontoxic Pans Rated, Best Nontoxic Dutch Oven Under $100, or Best Nontoxic Loaf Pans for Baking.
Watch the Video
How Did You Choose the Cake Pans?
I tested the same size cake pan from four top brands with similar nontoxic claims: Kana, USA Pan, Caraway, and Sur La Table. Now, to be fair, I was not gifted any of these cake pans for this article. These were all cake pans I already owned or researched and bought specifically to test. So, you can trust this is an unbiased post!
All of these brands have nontoxic claims, which was why I chose them. And, they all have a 9-inch round cake pan, which is a very common size, and that is the size I used and tested. But I also note the other sizes that are available from the brand, in case you’re looking for additional sizes!
How Did You Choose the Cake?
I made my simple vanilla cake recipe from my bakery. This was the vanilla cake that I used for all my recipes at my bake shop for over a decade. So, I know it’s a tried and true recipe that does not fail!
So, I made this vanilla cake recipe for each pan. I also weighed every ingredient (yes, even the eggs!). And I made each batch of cake separately just to ensure there were no issues mixing a large batch of cake batter and everything else was controlled.
How Did You Bake the Cakes?
I used nontoxic parchment paper in all the cake pans and I buttered the sides of the cake pans too. I baked all four cakes in my bottom oven of my double oven (I have the Café Dual Fuel Range that has a convection oven).
Did You Use Cake Strips?
I did not use cake strips on any of these cakes because that is a variable. While cake strips can really help your cakes bake more evenly (and less domed in the center) they can also be a variable because if they are not soaked in the same temperature water and soaked evenly, then they can have mixed results. This is why I chose to leave these out. But cake strips would help some of these pans that were baking up more domed cakes if you want to use those pans.
How Did You Score the Cake Pans?
I’m using a four category rating system to rate the cake pans. These are the four points that I think are most important when choosing a nontoxic cake pan.
- Design: This is important to me because I like pretty things in my kitchen! It also can be what draws you to buy something. But a good cake pan should be more than just the way it looks.
- Material & Durability: These go hand in hand, because the material the cake pan is made of can determine how durable it can be.
- Release: How well a cake releases from the pan can make or literally break your cake. You need to have a cake pan that releases with ease to ensure you don’t have broken or damaged cakes.
- Baking: And, of course, the cake pan needs to bake the cake well. You may think that just because it’s a cake pan, it will bake a cake fine, but that is far from the truth. Did it bake evenly? Did it dome? Are the edges darker and a little more crusty than the rest of the cake? All of these things matter in how the finished cake looks and tastes.
Best Nontoxic Cake Pans
#1: Kana
- Rating: 10/10
- Price: $55 for 9-inch Round Pan, use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off your order
- Free Of: Heavy metals and forever chemicals. No PFAS, PFOA, Lead or Cadmium.
- Material: Stainless Steel
- Other Sizes: 6-inch Round, 8-inch Round, 10-inch Round
Why I Love It
The Kana 9-inch Cake Pan was by far the superior pan of all four that were tested. I’m a huge fan of Kana and this has been my go to pan for a while now, even though I do have other pans! But, seeing the comparison side by side of the four cakes, I know for sure now that this is the only cake pan I’ll use going forward!
The cake that was baked in the Kana cake pan looks like it is bigger than all the other cakes, yet it was the same exact cake batter and the same exact amount. This just shows how evenly this cake baked and how this cake pan bakes a fluffier cake. And yes, a cake pan can actually make your cake fluffier!
Design 10/10
This is a classic design, simple, timeless, and stainless steel. No matter your kitchen aesthetic, this cake pan will fit right in!
Material & Durability 10/10
Stainless steel is one of the most durable materials, these will basically last forever. Plus, Kana offers a lifetime warranty on their cake pans. They are basically telling you that you’ll never need to replace this pan and if you do, it’s on them. You can use this cake pan on the grill, over an open flame, and even up to temperatures of 1000℉!
You can also use metal on stainless steel so I can run a butter knife around the edge of the cake to ensure everything is loose enough to release perfectly without sticking. This is just an extra layer of insurance for me (probably from owning a bakery for over a decade!) that I really like to have. I feel so much better knowing I can do this to ensure nothing sticks to the edges as I’m removing the cake. This will help with small breaks on the sides of the cake.
Release 10/10
I love stainless steel because I can use the butter knife around the edge. This ensures an easy release even if there was something small stuck, this will fix that. And cakes release like a dream from stainless steel!
Baking 10/10
The Kana cake pan baked up the most even and fluffy cake of all four cake pans! This was seriously the superior cake pan, as you can see from the photos and video. Having a cake bake evenly ensures the cake rises evenly. When this happens, it ensures that the cake is moist and fluffy throughout every single bite. It also means you get the most even distribution of cake to frosting ratio.
Extra Notes
There are multiple sizes available. Stainless steel is incredibly durable and lasts forever, making this cake pan more sustainable as you will not need to replace it. This is also dishwasher safe. And Kana also offsets 100% of the carbon emissions released into their atmosphere as a result of shipping items, and invests in projects that reduce carbon emissions by the same amount.
#2 USA Pan
- Rating: 9.25/10
- Price: $23 (on sale for $19 on Amazon) for a 9-inch round cake pan
- Free Of: PTFE, PFOA and BPA
- Material: Aluminized Steel
- Other Sizes: 6-inch Round, 8-inch Round, 8×8-inch Square, 9×9-inch Square, 9×13-inch, Bundt Pan
Why I Love It
I have used USA Pan cake pans for a very long time. These were the cake pans we had at my bake shop and what I baked all our cakes in for over a decade. We did use cake strips with them at my bakery to ensure that cakes baked up fluffier and more evenly, with no need for trimming (no wasted cake!).
If you do have this pan (and especially if you are baking at high altitude), I recommend using cake strips with them. They work very well, and you’ll get a moist and tender cake that you won’t need to trim. This cake pan is also very reasonably priced for baking cakes very well time and time again.
Design 10/10
This cake pan is a classic silver cake pan that will fit into any kitchen seamlessly. It also is the only cake pan with little ridges in it, which is a signature part of the USA Pan design. These little ridges really help distribute heat evenly! This will drastically help you if you are baking at high altitude or with a gas oven, which can be challenging. And if you are baking cakes that need help with even heat distribution, especially vegan, eggless, or gluten free cakes, this pan will definitely be beneficial!
Material & Durability 9/10
The USA Pan cake pan is made of aluminized steel. These cake pans are very durable and are oven safe up to 450°F. This cake pan does have a coating on it, which can get scratched if metal is used. So, if you leave this sitting in your sink with a bunch of dishes, you could damage the pan. So, just be careful of this.
Release 9/10
USA Pan uses what they call American® Nonstick coating on all their pans. This does help release cakes with ease. But it can be scratched if metal is used so you cannot use metal here. This release was okay, it stuck a tiny bit at first, but it ended up coming out without any issues! I’ve also used this cake pan many times and I’ve had no issues with release.
Baking 9/10
The USA Pan cake pan baked up the second best cake of the bunch. It was very minimally domed, meaning it was pretty even from the edges to the middle. I wouldn’t have had to trim this if I was making a layer cake. But the rise on this cake was still not as good as the cake baked in the Kana pan as it was a little bit shorter. But, it still produced a fluffy and delicious cake!
Extra Notes
If you’re on a budget, this is the cake pan I would recommend! These cake pans are not dishwasher safe, so you cannot place them in the dishwasher. You can’t use metal utensils on this cake pan, as it will scratch the coating. But, if you are baking any sort of cake that is temperamental this is the pan I would recommend above all else because of the ridges. High altitudes, eggless cakes, vegan cakes, or gluten free cakes, this pan will definitely help you with finicky cakes!
#3 Sur La Table
- Rating: 8.5/10
- Price: $11.92 on sale (normally $13.20 on Amazon) for 9-inch Round Pan
- Free Of: PFAS, PTFE, PFOA
- Material: Carbon Steel
- Other Sizes: 9-inch Square, 9×13-inch
Why I Love It
This Sur La Table cake pan was the wild card of the bunch. When I was researching nontoxic cake pans, I came across this one and I was shocked at the price. It’s less than $12 and it’s an exact look alike of the popular Caraway Cake Pan. So, I knew I wanted to try this out!
This cake pan is very easy to clean because of the coating. If you’re looking for a pretty cake pan for shooting photos in or to serve a cake in, then this is definitely it. I bet if you add cake strips to this when baking, it would help with the doming and bake up a much fluffier cake.
Design 10/10
I love this pan as it’s so pretty. It looks almost identical to the Caraway Cake Pan, but it’s a quarter of the price. So, if you are looking for a pretty nontoxic cake pan, this one is a great choice. I have the cream color, but it also comes in green and gray.
Material & Durability 8/10
This Sur La Table cake pan is made up of carbon steel, which actually has a higher thermal conductivity than stainless steel. I believe this is why the edges of this cake browned the most of all the cakes that were tested. So, if you use this cake pan, you may want to lower baking times by 2 to 3 minutes and test for doneness.
Release 9/10
This cake came out of the pan with ease, no issues. But you can’t run a butter knife around the edges, and I really like that insurance when removing a cake. The coating is nonstick though and it comes out easily if you have a well greased cake pan.
Baking 7/10
This cake was domed when it came out of the oven. If I had cake strips on this pan, it may have been better, and the cake strips also may have helped with browning. But I wanted to test everything without cake strips as these can be a variable especially if they are not soaked evenly! This pan also had the most browning around the edges, probably because of the carbon steel as it can heat up a bit more than other pans. I’d recommend lowering your baking time by a few minutes in this pan and checking it.
Extra Notes
If you want to get the Caraway Cake Pan but want to save money and have basically the exact same pan, get this one instead! It’s one quarter of the price of Caraway, yet it is identical in how it looks and it even works, in my opinion! This should really get extra points for this! This is a beautiful nontoxic cake pan for a very low price.
#4 Caraway
- Rating: 8.25/10
- Price: $40 for 9-inch Round Pan
- Free Of: PFAS, PTFE, PFOA, Heavy Metals
- Material: Aluminized Steel with Nontoxic Ceramic Coating
- Other Sizes: 9-inch Square, 9×13-inch
Why I Love It
This Caraway cake pan is beautiful and it comes in a wide range of colors if you want to match your kitchen aesthetic. If you want a pretty cake pan, this is it. This is the second most expensive cake pan in the bunch, but it’s rated last. So, if you’re on a budget and want the best cake pan, this is not your top choice.
This cake baked up the most domed of all the cakes, which is why it got the lowest rating from me. But I think using cake strips on this cake pan would help how this cake bakes a lot. While this cake pan is basically the same as the Sur La Table, this one is more expensive and it domed up a bit more. So, if you want to buy this because of the Caraway brand name, it’s a beautiful nontoxic cake pan. But there are better options for baking a better cake, and especially if you are on a budget.
Design 10/10
It’s Caraway, so of course the design is perfect. This cake pan looks pretty enough to sit out on the counter, use in photos, or serve your cake in. They also have tons of colors so you can match any kitchen style.
Material & Durability 8/10
I don’t like that the nontoxic ceramic coating can be dinged or scratched. This makes it not as durable as it could get damaged in your sink with silverware. And you cannot run a butter knife around the edges as that could damage the coating.
Release 9/10
This cake pan releases well, it’s very nonstick and my cake came out easily. I didn’t give it 10/10 because if you have an issue with your cake batter or a part of it that is stuck, you won’t be able to release it with a butter knife as I would usually do as it would ruin the coating.
Baking 6/10
This was the cake that baked up the most domed of all the cakes. I had high hopes for the Caraway Cake Pan as I’m a big fan of their cookware, but the cake pan was a little disappointing. I bet that if you added cake strips, it would really help with baking up evenly though.
Extra Notes
While I have a special place in my heart for Caraway, this cake pan is not my favorite piece from their collection. The price combined with how much this domed without cake strips — these are all reasons I’d choose another cake pan over this one. But it is still a beautiful nontoxic cake pan and if you don’t bake layer cakes often and just want a pretty cake pan to bake the occasional snack cake, then this is a great choice.
FAQ’s
A domed cake is a cake with a higher center and lower edges. The center of the cake is taller, which creates a dome shape. This can happen with any kind of cake, round or square.
A cake can dome for many reasons. One of the main reasons a cake can dome is heat, the pan can heat up too quickly making the edges of the cake bake faster and the center takes longer. If your oven temperature is too high, it can also cause this happen as well. And, if you are baking at high altitude, the lower air pressure can cause cakes to rise quicker. This, combined with faster evaporation of moisture can cause the cake to bake quicker around the edges and create a dome.
The best way to prevent your cake from doming is to use cake strips. These are cotton strips that you wet with cold water (cold water being key!) and wrap around the cake. This lowers the temperature of the cake pan as it heats up, slowing down the baking of the edges of the cake, ensuring you get even heat distribution and even rising.
If you are making a layer cake, having a domed cake can cause you to use more frosting to fill in the gaps of the cake where the edges are shorter than the middle. This makes your cake slices also look uneven. Or, you need to trim it to be even, which wastes cake and gives you a shorter layer cake. Looks aside, a domed cake can be dry because the edges bake faster than the middle. Which means you’ll need to bake the cake longer to ensure the middle is done, when the edges may already be done and therefore get over baked.
The Takeaway
There are many nontoxic cake pans for baking. While many pans can have similar nontoxic claims, it doesn’t mean that they bake cakes the same! Make sure to use nontoxic parchment paper and grease cake pans well to ensure cakes can be easily removed without damaging nontoxic coatings that may be used on some cake pans. Using cake strips can help if you notice your cake is doming.
Try These Cake Recipes
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Wow, this is so thorough. Thank you so much for doing this testing, I feel way more confident buying a quality cake pan next time around.