Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Pry off the cake
• Method 2 of 4: Using heat, steam or cold
• Method 3 of 4: Fix a damaged pie
• Method 4 of 4: Rescuing a completely stuck cake
• Necessities
• Tips

Unless you've used a high-fat recipe or pre-greased your pie pan, your pie will stick wherever it touches the pan. A little prying and a little patience will usually solve the problem, but you can switch to other methods for a cake that really won't come out of the pan.

To step

Method 1 of 4: Pry off the cake

1. Pry the sides loose with a round knife. Choose a palette knife if you have one, or a thin butter knife if you don't have a palette knife. Push the knife vertically down between the edge of the cake and the pan. Gently move the knife around the entire cake to loosen the sides. Stay as close to the pan as you can to reduce the amount of cake you cut into.
   • If the cake is for an important occasion, you may want to try other methods first. This method often does a small amount of damage.
   • When the cake is burnt to the sides, saw slowly up and down to break it loose. You will have to go around the cake maybe four or five times.
2. Loosen the bottom with a flexible nylon spatula. Push the spatula down at the edge of the pan, as you did with the knife. This time, lift the spatula inward as you work around the cake. The spatula should be flexible enough to separate the bottom of the cake from the base of the pan.
   • If the cake really sticks, don't try to force it loose. Skip this step and then continue with one of the other methods.
   • You can also use a thin metal spatula or pizza spatula instead. Run hot water over it first, as the heat and moisture can help loosen the cake.
3. Shake the cake out onto the plate you will be serving it on. Place a large plate over the cake pan. Hold them together tightly and flip them upside down. Shake the pan gently until the cake comes out.
   • You can also flip the cake on a wire rack. Hold something under the wire rack to catch the crumbs.
   • If the cake is damaged, continue with the instructions to fix the cake.
4. Tap the base of the pan. The cake can come off when the bottom of the pan is hit. When trying this, hold the cake just over the plate at a 45º angle. If this doesn't work, turn the pan right side up, hitting the side of the pan against a counter.
5. Let the cake sit upside down. Like the cake still has not loosened, it may do so when the pan has cooled completely. Have it sit upside down over the serving plate and hope for the best.
6. Turn or lift the cake from the pan (not recommended). In most cases it is better to use one of the methods below. If you don't have the time or tools to do this, you can try to forcefully remove the cake. Be warned though, this usually results in a broken pie.
   • Hold the cake with your hands or a spatula while rotating the pan.
   • and / or: Lift the cake out of the pan with the same round knife. This time, tilt the knife towards the center of the cake to break the base off the pan.

Method 2 of 4: Using heat, steam or cold

1. Pour hot water into a deep bowl. The bowl should be wide enough to hold your cake pan. Pour a thin layer of 6mm of hot water into the bowl.
   • If you don't have a bowl of this size, soak a towel in hot water and wrap it around the base of the pan.
2. Leave the cake pan in the bowl of water. The heat will cause the metal pan to expand slightly, pulling away from the sides of the cake. Let it sit in the water for a few minutes for this to happen. Then try to remove the cake as described above.
3. Steam the cake from the pan. Absorbing steam adds moisture and elevation to the cake, which can help it loosen up. Boil water in a small saucepan or kettle, then pour it into a mug. Place the mug and cake pan in a microwave, cupboard, or other enclosed area. Let it sit there for a few minutes, then try removing the cake again.
   • The microwave is a handy size for holding the steam along with the cake. Do not turn on the microwave "".
4. Put ice on the base of the pan. Turn the pan upside down on a serving plate. Place a bowl full of ice on the base of the pan and let it sit for a few minutes. Then try to remove the cake as previously described.
5. Freeze the cake until it is solid. Let the cake cool completely at room temperature for about an hour. Then freeze the cake for six hours. This will make it more difficult to ruin the shape of the cake and can break the cake off the pan. Run a butter knife around the edge of the cake to loosen the sides, even if you did this before freezing. Turn the pan upside down and tap the base to see if it worked.

Method 3 of 4: Fix a damaged pie

1. Cut the burnt layer off the cake. If the pie is burnt, carefully cut off the burnt layer with a pie metal wire or a large bread knife. If the pie ends on an angle, don't try to fix it with a second cut, as your pie will likely end up as nothing more than crumbs.
2. Add small broken pieces to the bottom of your cake. When a few small pieces have broken off, tuck them under the cake. If your cake is moist enough, they will stick to the cake quite well, especially when the cake is still hot.
3. Cover small damage spots with glaze. Make some icing and spread it in a smooth layer over the cake. Blobs of icing can fill and cover gaps and uneven edges on a cake.
   • Sugar and liquid icing is too thin and liquid to work for this.
4. Reassemble a broken cake with a sticky icing. If your cake is completely smashed, you will need an extra-tacky icing to put it back together. You can make caramel frosting, dulce de leche, or this sticky chocolate frosting recipe:
   • Mix 1 can of thickened milk, 15g cocoa powder, and 10g unsalted butter.
   • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stop when the mixture has reached a slightly thick, sticky texture.
   • Let the icing cool to room temperature; it will thicken as it cools.
   • Place the broken pieces on top of each other in a shape as close to the desired shape as you can get it. Generously cover the surface and broken areas with the icing.

Method 4 of 4: Rescuing a completely stuck cake

1. Cut the cake into squares. Cut a grid of squares in the pie pan, even if your pie is round. Use a wide, flexible spatula to gently loosen the squares from the base.
   • Keep reading to find out what to do with the pieces stuck to the rim of the pan.
2. Serve in the pan. The easiest option is to apply frosting and serve the cake in the pan. The pieces will break when served, but the cake will look nice on the table.
3. Make cake pops. If you completely tore your cake while trying to remove it from the pan, change your plan and make some cake pops. You can read these detailed instructions, or try the simple (and sometimes sloppy) recipe:
   • Rub the pieces of cake together in a large bowl.
   • Mix cream cheese or butter frosting until the mixture has a dough-like texture.
   • Roll the largest pieces into balls.
   • Dip the balls in chocolate sauce, then sprinkles or nonpareils (optional).

Necessities

• Palette or butter knife
• Flexible nylon spatula, thin metal spatula, or pizza spatula
• Scale
• Warm water
• Towel

Tips

• If cookies are baked on a baking tray, run under them with a palette knife. If this doesn't work, put them back in the oven for another 30-120 seconds and then try again.
• Prevent pre-baking the next time by greasing your cake pan. This is the easiest approach: lightly grease the pan with butter or cooking spray. Cover with a little bit of flour and shake until you have covered the entire pan, then tap the remaining flour out of the pan. If there are any bald spots, grease them and cover them with a little bit of flour.