The terms cake tins and cake pans are very often used interchangeably.  In fact a cake tin is the decorative container used to put the cake in after it is baked and a cake pan is used to cook the batter in.  Many companies make and/or sell them both.

There are several companies that make cake tins and cake pans as well as supplies, cook books and some even offer cooking classes.  Some of the largest and best known:

Nordic Ware began operations in 1946 in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a family-owned American Company and remains so today. They offer products made of non-stick cast-aluminum that carry a lifetime warranty.  Nordic Ware proudly states that it prides itself on making long-lasting products.  In the more than 60 years of operation it has become well known for their Bundt Pan.  It is estimated that there are more than 60 million Bundt pans in homes and businesses in America at present with more being sold every day. Bundt pans are so well known that during his term as Governor Tim Pawlenty proclaimed Wednesday November 15, 2006 as Bundt Day in Minnesota.

Wilton is the older of the two.  It has been in operation for over 80 years and proclaims itself as the industry leader for all things related to cake making. They offer a vast array cookware, decorating supplies and classes for the baker.  Many of their pans are cast aluminum non-stick which they proudly advertise are made in the USA.

Wilton products can be found in most places that sell cake supplies and in some bakeries.

Holiday Tins and Containers is located in Bellaire, Texas and is an online source for multi-purpose tins for cakes, cookies, nuts and popcorn ranging in size from.  Their products range in size up to 6.5 Gallon.  They also offer customizing of their products.

Independent Can Company is a family owned and operated business founded in 1929. The first can was used for hold lard for a meat packing plant. It Originated in Baltimore, Maryland. However, through acquisitions they now have operations in several locations.  It now produces a large selection of metal cans and tins for both consumables and non-edible items. Decorative tins began being produced in 1993

Blue Shoots LTD is a family-owned online business based in London, England that sells very high quality cookware known throughout the world. They are noted for anodized bakeware.  Their silicone products are popular because of their non-stick odor-free properties and they are dishwasher safe.  The silver anodized bakeware is a very popular commercial choice because of its ability to evenly distribute heat for cooking and it is non-stick.

Other supplier lines that they carry are:

Analon                Bakers Pride                Chicago Metalic

Eddingtons         Farington                    James Oliver

LeCreuset           Masterclass                 Mermaid

Silverwood          Stellar                          Tefal

Viners

They also carry accessories such as cooling racks, rolling pins, icing sets, cake testers, pastry brushes and Yorkshire Pudding Pans.

Williams-Sonoma Bakeware Is commercial quality bakeware and accessories that are made in the USA.

HSN is a popular televised shopping show that promotes cookware for famous chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and others.

So you are thinking of having a party.

Parties can be large or small; themed or just a casual get-to-gather; from low cost to extravagant; well thought out to spur of the moment. Parties are for every age and for any reason however birthday parties are so much fun.

The party themes are endless and continue to grow with each new cartoon or superhero created or every new celebrity Hollywood introduces to the nation.

For every occasion there are numerous themes that will delight any child; even the youngest infant.  Admittedly, a lot of times these are geared to the adults accompanying the child if he or she has not developed the sense of recognition yet. Even so, the theme can be something the child seems to enjoy or a particular design the parent has chosen to decorate the nursery or child’s room with. Among the top party ideas for infants and the youngest toddlers are Teddy Bear parties where all decorations, invitations and any favors or gifts as well as the plates, cups and napkins are of items depicting a teddy bear or choose another specific animal such as Winnie The Pooh, Scooby Doo or The Lion King.

Stuffed animal parties are the same, but many kinds of animals can be used together as the theme.  This can be anything from reptiles to horses to ducks to any kind of animal the child likes. This might be easier to decorate and the more animals you can find; one of them may ultimately appeal to a specific child and another one might catch the eye of another child, also it would be easier to decorate with many animals rather than just one kind.  It could be a good time to introduce each child to other animals than they have previously seen or heard about.  It could be fun to make the sound made by a particular stuffed animal and encourage the adults as well as the children to hold up a particular animal and every one make the sound of each animal in turn.

Learning toy parties are great for the young ones who are not yet old enough to organize into a group activity and can teach something to every child on their own level while occupying their time .  Just throw out a bunch of sterilized or new simple teaching toys on a blanket with the adults encircling the children so that each one can supervise their own little one.

As kids become older the parties can take on any one of the popular characters that are well known to them such as Disney classics like  Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, or other characters equally popular like Little Mermaid, Elmo, Dora The Explorer, Batman,  Nemo, Shrek, etc.    The older the child gets they will undoubtedly want themes that reflect their current idols such as Hannah Montana or Jimmy Neutron.  Of course at this time you would want to get their input on any party you might have for them.

Refreshments for any party can be found at your local Bakery, candy aisle in the store, or you can simply make it by buying a cake tin at a craft store and making the cake your self.  You could use one that is marketed by Disney, Wilton or another Supplier

Just use a little imagination and a lot of creativity and you will be fine!

Cake tins have been around for a very long time and are a basic useful tool for the baker.  The cake tin is usually made of metal, glass or more recently they are made of plastic molds made to withstand high oven temperatures.  All forms are equally useful for the purpose of baking a cake as well as other things such as making candy or even for making a meatloaf or casserole, however one person  may prefer one style over another for their own reasons.  Whichever type of  cake tin you choose it is equally important to ensure that the cake is easy to remove from the tin onto a tin cake carrier, dish, platter or some other  thing on which you can display your creation. Using a spring form cake tin allows you to remove the cake by pushing up on the bottom of the cake tin to clear it from the sides of the pan.  You can use cake tin liners specially made to put on the bottom of the cake tin so that the underside of the cake doesn’t stick to the cake tin.

Basic shapes for baking a cake are the round cake tins, square cake tins, oval and oblong cake tins and bundt cake tins , however other novelty cake tins can be found such as: “number” cake tins, wedding cake tins, heart shaped cake  tins, a train cake tin, a car cake tin,  a teddy bear cake tin, a butterfly cake tin, an Elmo cake tin or Mickey mouse cake tin and many more shapes, some as exotic  as a monkey cake tin or a dinosaur cake tin or even a pig cake tin. You can also buy a cake in a tin ready to eat or send or give to someone else.

If you cannot find the specific shape of cake tin you want you could try crafting one of your own styles by using the basic cake tins.  For instance you could cut two square cakes of different flavors into smaller squares, putting them back together as one larger cake alternating the flavored squares and then using an icing that compliments both cake flavors ,or you could bake a cake in a bundt cake tin and insert a plastic Barbie doll in it after it cools and then decorating the cake as a formal dress.  Little girls just love this one and it is so easy to do!  Also using the bundt cake tin you could decorate it as a lady bug by icing the cake red and then using sugar gummy pieces for the dots, jelly beans for the eyes and licorice for the antennae.  Little boys really like this one!

Special care should be given to the finished cake to keep it fresh.  You might want to consider purchasing one of a number of cake storage tins, such as a mini cake tin, cup cake tins, or perhaps one of the decorative cake tins specifically made to store  cakes in and/or give them as gift.

Fruit cakes should be either purchased ready made or placed into a fruit cake tin after preparing so that the ripening process of the fruit is not compromised and it stays fresh and moist.

Cake tins of varying prices can be found at most craft stores or by looking in your local phone book for local cake/baking supply stores.  The tins may also be ordered online, however be sure to plan well ahead to allow time for shipping and delivery.

GOOD LUCK & DON’T FORGET TO GET YOUR OWN CHRISTMAS CAKE TINS BEFORE THEY ARE ALL SOLD OUT!!!