Why They Work

• In the hot environment of your oven, the metal of your baking pan tends to warm up much more quickly than the wet cake batter itself. The pan in turn conducts heat into the batter, which cooks the outer edges more quickly than the middle. The effect is especially notable in dark pans, which absorb heat even more readily. This causes the outer edges of the cake to cook and set sooner than it should, keeping it relatively low and causing the cake to form a dome in the middle. In extreme cases, the outer sections of the cake can be overbaked or even burnt before the middle is done. Cake strips counter that tendency by insulating the pan, thus minimizing the problem.

The Basic Towel Technique

• If you've never used baking strips before, you can observe the effect with nothing more sophisticated than a clean kitchen towel. Choose a thick towel from those you have on hand, and wet it with cold water from the tap. Wring out any excess, then fold the towel to the same height as your cake pan. Wrap it around the pan, then use a safety pin or paper clip to secure the end in place. Use a second towel if one won't reach all the way around your pan. If you only have trouble with one or two of the cakes you make, this type of improvised pan strip might be all you need.

Theme and Variations

• If that experiment persuaded you of the virtues of baking strips, several alternative methods provide the same effect. For occasional use, you can create a highly effective strip with newspapers and aluminum foil. Fold the paper to the height of your pan, and soak it under your tap. Fold it into a long strip of foil, then wrap the foil around your pan and crimp it in place. It's easy and adaptable to any size of pan. Alternatively, purchase one or two inexpensive silicone baking sheet liners and cut them into strips the height of your pans. Wrap your pan with one, two or more strips as needed, tying them in place with cotton butcher's twine.

Stitch It Up

• With a minimal investment in time and effort, you can turn a few kitchen towels into permanent pan strips for your favorite cake pans. Start by purchasing good-quality towels the right length for your pans. For example, an 8-inch round pan has a circumference of 25 inches, while a 9-inch pan is 29 inches around. Fold the towel to the right height for your pans, usually 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and press it to make a good crease at the edges. Then hand-stitch it or run it through your sewing machine to hold it permanently in that shape. To close it, sew on fabric ties or attach a heatproof metal button and sew a loop or buttonhole to go over it.