How to Grease a Baking Tray

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked brownies, and nothing quite as dispiriting as discovering that half of them have welded themselves to the tin. Greasing and lining properly takes a few minutes and saves a lot of excavation later.

Do you need to grease a non-stick baking tray?

Usually, yes. Non-stick coatings reduce sticking but they do not make every bake release perfectly, particularly as tins age. Follow the recipe first: some biscuits need an ungreased sheet, while brownies, loaf cakes and layer cakes usually benefit from grease, baking paper or both.

Choose the right tin

• Flat baking sheet: biscuits, cookies and pastry.
• Deep square or rectangular tin: brownies, traybakes and bars.
• Loaf tin: loaf cakes and breads; a paper sling makes lifting out much easier.
• Muffin tin: use paper cases unless the recipe specifically calls for a greased tin.
• Round cake tin: layer cakes; line the base and grease the sides unless your recipe says otherwise.

How to grease and line a baking tin

1. Start with a clean, dry tin

Old burnt residue can affect flavour and release, so wash and dry the tin thoroughly before you begin.

2. Apply a thin, even layer of fat

Use softened butter, neutral oil or baking spray. A pastry brush or piece of kitchen paper helps spread it into corners without leaving puddles.

3. Add baking paper when the bake needs it

For brownies, loaf cakes, fruit cakes and many layer cakes, baking parchment gives extra insurance. Grease the tin lightly first so the paper stays flat, then cut the paper to fit the base or create a sling for easy lifting.

4. Flour or cocoa when appropriate

If a recipe calls for a greased-and-floured tin, add a spoonful of flour and rotate the tin until the surface is lightly coated, then tap out the excess. For chocolate cakes, cocoa powder can be used instead so you do not get a pale floury film on the crust.

5. Cool before forcing anything out

Release time matters. Many cakes need a short rest in the tin before turning out; brownies and traybakes are often easier to cut once properly cool. Use a flexible spatula or palette knife rather than a sharp metal tool that can scratch non-stick coatings.

Cleaning burnt-on residue

Soak the tin in warm soapy water first. For stubborn residue, make a paste with bicarbonate of soda and a little water, leave it to soften the burnt material, then clean with a non-abrasive sponge. Avoid metal scourers on non-stick surfaces.

The simple rule

Follow the individual recipe, grease lightly and evenly, and use baking parchment when the bake is sticky, delicate or difficult to lift. It is a tiny piece of preparation that prevents a very unnecessary kitchen tragedy.

For more practical home-baking techniques, see our recipes and baking guides.