You can not argue that having a lot of baking experience makes you better at baking the perfect cake. After all, baking a cake is not at all an easy job.
Anything can go wrong during the preparation time when making the cake batter and even when the cake is placed in the oven.
This is the reason why you should have a thorough research about each ingredient of the recipe.
If your cake sticks to the parchment paper and you do not know why you have landed in the right place. Keep reading to learn the exact reason.
We have also mentioned the right way to remove stuck parchment paper from your baked cake so that you do not chew on parchment paper by mistake.
Also Read: Why Does My Cake Crumble (Reasons & Fixes)
Why Does My Cake Stick To Parchment Paper
When you face a cake wreck, even after putting in several hours, please take it as a learning lesson for your future because today’s mistake will make you a good baker tomorrow.
You have your parchment paper stuck to the baked cake today, but this mistake will surely help you to bake flawlessly tomorrow.
So why does your baked cake stick to the parchment paper?
In short, there are two main reasons responsible, which are condensation and not proper greasing.
Typically, the moisture from the cake batter evaporates and condenses in the pan. After some time, if the baked cake and parchment paper are left to cool for an extended period, they get glued together.
Also, if the parchment paper is not appropriately greased with melted ghee, butter, or cooking oil, the cake batter might burn into it and adhere the cake and paper together.
When you have a piece of parchment paper stuck to your baked cake, there is a high probability that two of these reasons are responsible.
Another potential reason why your parchment paper is sticking to your cake is that you leave the paper on the baked cake while it cools.
The parchment paper may attract the cooling cake batter and adhere to it, acting as glue. Though it is possible, it is not so common.
Although condensation in the oven is a difficult-to-control element, you can avoid sticking parchment paper to your cake if done correctly.
Also Read: Why Does My Cake Stick To The Pan? (How To Fix?)
How To Remove Stuck Parchment Paper From The Cake?
If you know why the parchment paper is sticking to the cake, you can avoid it in the future. But what to do if you have a stuck paper on your cake right in front of you?
Do not worry because we got you. Here is the proper way to effectively remove the parchment paper from the cake. You, too, can use this method to save your cake.
- Take out your baked cake from the baking pan
- Place the cake onto a cooling rack
- Grab a spraying bottle, fill it with water and drizzle the water on the base of the parchment paper
- Leave it like that for a few minutes so that the water gets absorbed in the parchment paper
- After a few minutes, start to remove the parchment paper from the cake slowly
- You can also take the help of a sharp knife to peel the parchment paper from your baked cake.
- Peel the parchment paper from the edges toward the middle of the cake. Do not peel from center to edge because you will damage your cake.
- With the help of a napkin, dry your cake.
- Now let your cake dry by placing it in an airy area.
You must be careful not to utilize too much water while misting the bottom of your parchment paper.
Though it also depends on the water spray bottle you have but just spray a maximum of three to four times only.
Too much water sprayed on the cake’s base may produce a mushy cake once the water absorbs. During this gradual procedure, be careful to take your time.
Peel off your attached parchment paper away from the baked cake’s edges first, working your way carefully toward the center once the sprayed water has been soaked into the paper.
So, how can you remove your parchment paper utterly intact from the baked cake? You can use a knife with a flat edge to peel the parchment paper off the cake.
By doing this, you might be able to prevent the paper from tearing into tiny bits that end up on your cake’s bottom.
The parchment paper will likely rip easily when peeling it because it becomes soggy due to the sprayed water.
Even if you use the knife, it is still possible that you may leave some pieces of parchment paper on the cake. If something like it occurs, do not worry.
Any residual bits of parchment paper may be removed from the cake by rolling them up and rubbing them with your fingers while applying gentle pressure.
Be cautious while using the knife and your fingers to remove the parchment paper from the cake because you surely do not want to end up with a hole in your beautiful cake.
Also Read: Why Is My Cake Rubbery | How To Avoid Rubbery Cake (Tips!)
How To Prevent Parchment Paper From Getting Stuck On The Cake?
We have so far discussed why parchment paper sticks to the cake and the right way to peel it off without leaving the residue. But how can you prevent this cake wreck from happening at all in the future?
Let’s see how you can prevent the parchment paper from getting stuck to the paper.
Typically, before putting the cake batter into the pan, grease the parchment paper with cooking spray.
To prevent scorching the cake batter on the parchment paper, do not overheat the cake. Lastly, as soon as the cake comes out of the oven, peel off the parchment paper from the cake.
The first piece of advice to prevent the parchment paper from sticking to the cake is to spray cooking spray on the parchment paper to prevent it from adhering to the cake.
This will assist in the cake batter’s ability to separate from the parchment paper during baking.
Before putting the parchment paper into the baking pan, generously grade the pan. Your cake will come out of the pan with ease.
The next piece of advice is to keep a close eye on your cake as it bakes. Overbaking the cake will cause the parchment paper to get burnt on the bottom, which will cause the cake and paper to cling to one another.
The last advice is to take the parchment paper off as soon as you turn the cake onto a cooling rack.
If you do not do this, the cake and parchment paper will be drawn together by a suction force caused by condensation between the cooling cake and the paper.
Also Read: Why Does My Cake Sink In The Middle (How To Fix?)
FAQ
What is better for baking brownies- parchment paper or wax paper?
Every baker knows that both parchment paper and wax paper are best friends in baking methods.
They make the whole baking process more manageable, and you clean up efficiently and much faster. They are the absolute prime when it comes to wrapping fish or meat for storage purposes.
But if we have to choose between parchment paper and wax paper, parchment paper wins the game.
It is because parchment paper can withstand high temperatures and won’t melt or catch fire in the oven.
Can I use foil instead of parchment paper for baking?
When you are baking cake, muffin, or quick bread, it is vital to grease your baking pan with melted butter, ghee, or cooking oil and then use parchment paper.
It helps to minimize the mess, and also you do not have to spend hours scrubbing the base of your pan after the baking process.
So can you use foil in place of parchment paper when you are baking brownies or other savory foods? Yes, you can.
Aluminum foil provides a better alternative for parchment paper, and it will make your cleanup process hella simple.
Final Thoughts
In short, there are two primary reasons which are responsible for your parchment paper sticking to the baked cake.
One is the condensation formation in the baking pan because of the evaporating moisture from the cake batter. This condensation glues the parchment paper with the cake.
Another reason is that you did not grease your parchment paper which is why your cake is getting burned on the paper and sticking to it.
Make sure that you always grease your parchment paper thoroughly before pouring the cake batter on it.
Do not leave your cake in the oven for a long time, and remove the paper when you place the cake on the rack to cool off. That’s it!
Happy baking!
