Unmolding a Cake

Cakes 9 inches or larger risk breaking if they are unmolded too soon. For cakes up to 10 inches, it is best to allow them to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding, 20 minutes for larger cakes.

Except when baking the cake in a fluted tube pan, always run a small metal spatula between the sides of the pan and the cake, pressing the spatula against the pan to ensure complete release of the cake’s sides with its crumb intact.

Always invert the cake onto a wire rack that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. If the parchment is still attached to the cake, peel it off. Unless it is baked in a tube pan, reinvert the cake onto a second lightly coated wire rack. This prevents splitting if the top is slightly domed and maintains the maximum height of the cake layer.