A properly prepared cake pan is one of the easily overlooked keys to successful baking. After all that work making a cake, the last thing you want is for the cake to cling to the baking pan when you go to turn it out. With a properly prepared pan, your cake will slide out easily with smooth, clean edges. In this video, you’ll learn how to prepare a cake pan with oil, softened butter, or shortening. You’ll learn the right time to grease your pan and why some cakes don’t need a greased pan. You’ll see why a pastry brush is the tool of choice for greasing the pan and see the benefits of dusting it slightly with flour or sifted cocoa powder. You’ll also learn an alternate method for “greasing” your pan using nothing but parchment paper, and get a great tip for keeping the parchment in place at the bottom of the cake pan.