Grease is the Word

• To prepare a pan before baking a shortening-based cake, apply a liberal amount of grease -- usually shortening or butter. Nonstick spray can also be used on pans with hard-to-reach nooks and crannies but it may not form a solid barrier. Avoid using grease with a distinctive flavor, such as bacon fat or lard, and cooking oil, which can be more easily absorbed into the batter. Margarine is often made with added water which can cause uneven release.

Flour Power

• A two-layer approach to greasing pans helps keep the cake from sticking. First, applying grease to the pan forms a lipid, or fat, layer that provides lubrication between the porous cake and the non-porous pan. Next, applying a thin layer of all-purpose flour helps prevent the cake batter from absorbing the grease on the pan. If you skip this step, you may have uneven areas that adhere to the pan, causing bits of cake to pull away from the rest of the finished product. Because most cakes incorporate flour into the batter, the little that sticks to the cake after baking does not usually affect the flavor. Finer cake flour can also be used to dust pans.

Cocoa a Go Go

• Cocoa powder, made from removing the cocoa butter from cocoa liquids, can be used to dust the pan after it has been greased when making chocolate or gluten-free cakes or when you want to add a touch of chocolate flavor to the finished product. Because Dutch-processed cocoa is milder and does not interact with baking soda, it is useful in delicate cakes, while natural unsweetened cocoa powder is more bitter and can impart a richer chocolate flavor to hearty baked goods such as brownies. Avoid using cocoa drink mix as it usually contains sugar and milk products which will cause the cake to stick to the pan.

Sift Away

• To grease and dust a cake pan, start by applying shortening to the entire pan with a pasty brush or paper towel, making sure you cover the corners and all the way up the sides. Next, use a sifter to apply the flour, cocoa or other powder layer over the shortening. If you don’t have a sifter, sprinkle the powder liberally into the pan with your fingers. Apply a thick layer, then tilt and tap the pan so any piles move towards the downward-pointing end. Continue to turn and tap the pan until a thin layer of powder covers all the shortening. Turn the pan over and tap it to discard any extra powder. Prepare the pan before mixing the cake ingredients as the batter should not sit long after being combined.