Tin Tricks: Greasing and Lining Baking Tins

Read the tin instructions first

Greasing adds a thin coating; lining puts baking paper between the tin and mixture. Recipes may ask for both, one or neither. Some cakes need ungreased sides to climb, so always check before you begin.

Find the tin size and preparation instructions first. A different tin can affect baking, so ask your adult before swapping. Use oven-safe baking parchment, never waxed paper, writing paper or plastic film.

Make a simple work station

Wash and dry your hands. Put the clean, dry, cool tin on a steady surface and check any loose base is fitted correctly. Keep scissors visible beside the paper for adult-assisted cutting.

Set out the grease your recipe needs. Aim for a thin, even coating. Keep your brush away from raw batter so you can finish preparing the tin cleanly.

Grease a tin evenly

1. Use the greasing ingredient and method stated in your recipe. Put a small amount on a pastry brush or folded piece of kitchen paper.
2. Brush or wipe a thin layer across the base and the required sides. Work into corners and around the join between the base and sides.
3. Tilt the cool tin under the light and look for bare patches. Cover those lightly. If there are big lumps of butter, spread them into a thinner layer.
4. Set the tin down and move on to lining if the recipe asks for it. Wash buttery fingers before handling scissors or another tool.

Line the base of a round tin

1. Ask your adult to trace a guide for the tin's base on the reverse of the parchment. Keep pencil marks on the side that will face the tin rather than the food.
2. With adult help, cut a circle and test the fit inside the tin. Trim it little by little until it lies flat instead of climbing the sides or bunching into folds.
3. Press the parchment onto the prepared base. A light greasing underneath can help it stay in place when the recipe calls for greasing and lining.
4. If the recipe also needs a side strip, let your adult measure and cut it. Follow the specified height and keep paper clear of oven elements. Do not leave loose flaps extending wherever they please.

Try a loaf-tin sling

For a recipe that calls for a parchment sling, your adult can cut a strip that covers the base and two opposite sides. Press it into the corners neatly, with only the modest overhang the recipe recommends. The overhang can help an adult lift a cooled bake later. It does not make lifting a hot cake safe.

Check before you fill

• Paper springs up: crease it to fit and check whether a little grease underneath is allowed by the recipe.
• The circle wrinkles: take it out and trim it slightly rather than forcing it flat.
• You are unsure which surfaces to grease: reread the recipe with your adult before adding the mixture.

Ready for your bake

Once the tin is ready, put scissors and spare paper away. Your adult fills or checks the filled tin and manages the oven. Let the finished bake cool for the time the recipe requires before your adult removes it.