Tried and Tested: Wilton’s Giant Cupcake Pan

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I’ll preface this post by saying that I’m a huge fan of Wilton products. As faithful readers know, I especially love the cookie sheets, which are a great value (typically, a pack of three at $9.99) and yield consistent results. What’s more – Wilton’s decorating products make life easy for someone like me who is into baking, but not-so-good with the finishing touches. So, for all of my goodwill towards the brand, it pains me to say that the Giant Cupcake pan is not all it’s cracked up to be.

I picked up the “Jumbo” version of the pan a couple of weeks ago at my local Bed Bath & Beyond store in advance of my sister’s birthday. (She’s really into cupcakes and I knew she would just love it). Now, the pan is large (hence the terms “jumbo” and “giant cupcake”), so I guess-timated that I’d need to at least double the amount of batter I’d normally use in two 9-inch round cake pans. (The instructions on the box do not include information about how much batter is required). It’s a good thing I planned to make more because the amount of batter for two 9-inch rounds filled the “cupcake bottom” alone. I ended up making another batch, filled the “cupcake top” and then managed to get 9 regular-size cupcakes out of the rest.

My other initial concern: The pan comes in one piece, but the “cupcake top” holds slightly less batter than the bottom. I worried that the top would bake up faster than the bottom and burn. (It almost did, so I kept the oven on 325 degrees – 25 degrees lower than normal – and baked for an extra 15 minutes to ensure that both cakes were done).

Most frustrating by far was my attempt to remove the cakes from the pan. Even though it’s non-stick, I greased the bottom and sides with a little Crisco before adding the batter to ensure I would not have difficulty getting the cakes out, as it’s key that both pieces stay intact for decorating purposes. Despite my best efforts, both cakes stuck and a piece of the “cupcake top” broke off. Luckily, I was able to carefully edge it out with a butter knife and “glue” it back on with some frosting, so no one would ever know.

Overall, if you are looking to purchase a novelty pan such as a giant cupcake, I’d recommend looking for one that comes in two pieces. Also, be sure to bake at a lower temperature and, even if it’s a non-stick pan, grease it with a little Crisco, butter or non-stick spray to get better results.

In the end, my sister was extremely pleased with her birthday cake, so I’ll give the pan a whirl again. Knowing what I know now, it should be a lot easier the second time around!

Do you enjoy baking with novelty cake pans? Tell us about your experience. Post a comment below.

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