Manufactured Linings

• Many modern baking pans, from cookie sheets to complicated Bundt pans, have a nonstick lining added at the factory. Both the linings and the pans themselves vary widely in quality, but the best use good heavy-duty aluminum as the base and a permanently bonded non-stick coating. Most coatings are made of sophisticated polymers, which -- surprisingly -- emulate the surface created on a cast-iron skillet by careful seasoning. Others are ceramic, but the food-contact surface is similar with either type of finish. It's smooth and non-porous, giving your baked goods no opportunity to cling to microscopic pores, grooves or crevices. These pans are unsuitable for some types of cakes, which must cling to the sides of the pan if they're to rise.

Disposable Linings

• One of the most useful and versatile lining for pans is parchment paper, a stiff grade of paper that's impregnated with silicone. The silicone creates a surface similar to the one on a nonstick baking pan, making it difficult for baked goods to adhere. Aluminum foil is an acceptable substitute, if either sprayed with pan spray or given a parchmentlike coating of silicone. Aluminum has the added advantage of not scorching at temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit, as parchment does. Some companies also manufacture foil-lined aluminum baking pans, which can be used for standalone baking or treated as pan liners for greater stability and lower risk of accidents.

Permanent Linings

• Many bakers, especially in commercial settings, also make use of silicone pan liners. The most familiar version is a flat mat of silicone, designed to fit a commercial half-sized rectangular sheet pan of 13 inches by 18 inches, though they're available in other sizes as well. The highest quality mats are reinforced with strands of fiberglass to give them greater strength and durability, and will stand up to years of use as long as they're not scarred by cutting or gouging with metal implements.

Wipe On, Wipe Off

• If your cherished older pans don't have a non-stick surface, or if it's not practical to fit parchment paper or a silicone liner into your pan, you still have options. The most traditional is spreading a thin layer of your favorite solid baking fat, such as butter or vegetable oil shortening, over the inside of your pan. For shaped pans such as Bundt pans, a stiff paintbrush or pastry brush helps get it into all the crevices. Lightly coating the fat with flour helps your baked goods to not stick, and old-school bakers often mixed shortening with flour ahead of time so it could be painted on in one step. Supermarket pan sprays are also reasonably effective for most baking, and some include finely ground flour to help prevent sticking.