Why You Should Line Your Cake Pan With Cocoa Powder
Who doesn't love a nice slab of chocolate cake? In the words of Ina Garten, "store-bought is fine" when the craving for a slice comes on, but let's be honest — digging into a cake that you've baked yourself is even more satisfying. One, two, or even three tiers of the moist and airy dessert with thick layers of rich frosting in between and another on top, plus the added bonus of knowing that you put the entire thing together with your own two hands. The only thing that could make the moment sweeter would be if you didn't have to see that pesky dusting of flour on the bottom layer that came from having to line the cake pan before putting it into the oven.
Unfortunately, buttering and flouring your pan is a key part of the cake-baking process that will help to ensure that your creation turns out as beautiful as the ones you see on "Cake Boss," so skipping it is out of the question. So how do you get rid of the eyesore that is the contrasting coating of flour ruining your otherwise perfect chocolate cake? The solution is simpler than you think.
Use cocoa powder instead of flour for a picture-perfect chocolate cake
Greasing and flouring your cake pans before pouring in the batter is crucial to avoid having your cake stick to the bottom and sides after it's out of the oven. It can be the difference between your final product sliding with ease out of its mold or having to carefully chisel it out when it's ready to be frosted but also leaves an annoying layer of flour on the outside of your dessert. Of course, this isn't too big of a problem when you're making a white or yellow cake, as the flour will blend in fairly well, but if chocolate is more up your alley, the powdery white coating just can't be ignored.
Luckily, there's a simple and easy way to get around this issue, and it doesn't even require having to go to the store for a special tool. When whipping up chocolate cake, Taste of Home suggests swapping the flour for cocoa powder when it comes to prepping your pan for the batter, as it will leave you with a clean-looking confection when it's out of the oven. The Los Angeles Times points out that this hack also has the added bonus of giving your cake some extra chocolate flavor, which we can probably all agree is never a bad thing.