Comments on: Silicone cupcake liners arent nonstick

Question: Silicone cupcake liners arent nonstick

darsh — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 08:49:00 -0800

I just recieved a set of silicone cupcake liners, v silimar to these , and tried them out yesterday. However, the cupcakes wouldn't come out in one piece - every single one broke and crumbled when I tried to release it. Does anyone know how to prevent baked goods from sticking to these things?

By: TryTheTilapia

TryTheTilapia — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 08:58:27 -0800

I do. You have to season silicone bakeware the first few times you use it. A thin coating of vegetable oil or butter should do the trick. Ideally, you should be able to eliminate oiling of any kind after the first couple of batches.

By: ijoshua

ijoshua — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 08:58:54 -0800

That's exactly why my gf says she won't use silicone liners, muffin pans, or cookie sheets. Without the direct conductive heat from the metal pan, the dough won't form a crust, and won't stay in one piece.

By: TryTheTilapia

TryTheTilapia — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 09:05:00 -0800

ijoshua, not exactly. Many commercial kitchens use silicone bakeware of all sorts now because cleanup and storage are much easier. It does work well once you get the hang of it.

Also, a couple of tricks - allow things to cool completely before unmolding them from silicone bakeware. And, if you run your silicone through the dishwasher, you'll need to re-season it again before use.

By: HotPatatta

HotPatatta — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 09:07:19 -0800

I'm afraid to use silicone bakeware for this reason. Plus, I love peeling off the paper liners from a cupcake and nibbling off the moist crumbs from the paper.

FYI: Someone on MeFi posted a question about a chemical smell coming from new silicone bakeware, which you might have also experienced. Someone in the thread said it disappears after a few rounds in the oven.

By: Bella Sebastian

Bella Sebastian — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 10:22:36 -0800

Yes, try oiling them next time...but good luck getting them really clean afterwards. I find they're impossible to rid of that greasy residue, and in general I find them kind of gross to use.

By: essexjan

essexjan — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:08:53 -0800

Someone in the thread said it disappears after a few rounds in the oven.

Yes, that was me. I love my silicone bakeware. I don't have cupcake liners, but I seasoned my muffin tray by spraying it with sunflower oil spray (I think it's called Pam in the US) and heating it. I've never had a problem with things sticking.

By: arnicae

arnicae — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 12:10:57 -0800

That's really amazing. I love my silicone cupcake liners, and the cupcakes, muffins, cornbread, etc just pop out perfectly every time. Perhaps the silicone rather than the chef is flawed? What about returning them and trying a different brand? The kind you can get at Target for like $5 work GREAT for me, and I only occasionally use Pam or any other oil spray.

By: beagle

beagle — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:00:26 -0800

We got a silicone bundt pan recently and had the same problem. Are all the silicone enthusiasts in agreement with Tilapia that you have to let it cool off totally? That sounds like a sensible approach.

By: darsh

darsh — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 13:28:04 -0800

Thanks everyone - I'll try seasoning them before the next use and see what happens.

By: wryly

wryly — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 15:16:31 -0800

Rose Levy Berenbaum, author of The Cake Bible, has an informative blog. Several months ago I emailed her to ask about preparing silicone cake pans; she said she always uses Baker's Joy (an oil/flour spray) or butter and then flour. And she also said to let the cake cool completely.

By: candyland

candyland — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 17:57:27 -0800

Seconding Baker's Joy. It's awesome. I use it for all my baking (silicone or metal pans).