speed the penetration of heat into the batter.
Bright surfaces reflect radiant heat, transmit
heat poorly to the food they contain, and slow
the baking process. A dull metal pan or a glass
one (which also transmits radiant heat well)
will cook a cake as much as 20% faster than a
shiny pan, while a black surface tends to
absorb heat quickly and cause rapid surface
browning. Recent innovations in nonmetal
baking containers include flexible silicone
molds and paper molds, larger and stiffer and
more elegant versions of muffin and cupcake
papers.
Baking Cakes at High Altitudes
Cake recipes that work well at sea level
can produce dry, dense disasters in
kitchens at high altitudes. The reason for
this is that the low air pressure in the
mountains allows water to boil at a lower
temperature than the 212ºF/100ºC
characteristic of sea level. The drops in