Elyse wrote:

> My mother used some cake pans for layer cakes that were different from
> any I have seen in the stores. I suspect she received them as wedding
> or bridal shower gifts so they were purchased in about 1953.
>
> They were a fairly dark metal or had darkened through use. They were
> fairly shallow, and had textured bottoms (I think) and a narrow flat
> lip running all the way around the top.
>
> In the center of the bottom of each pan was a rivet, attaching a half-
> inch wide strip of metal that went from the center of the pan to the
> side, up the side and over the lip and stuck out as a tab. When you
> wanted to get your cake out of the pan, you pushed the tab (and the
> metal strip) all the way around the pan to slice through any spots
> that might be stuck to the sides or bottom of the pan.
>
>
>
> Does anyone else remember or know about pans like these? I assume they
> were a patented design that hasn't been made in years.
>
I had a set of those too. Mine were purchased sometime
in the '60s. They were really great for getting the layers
out of the pan without them sticking or breaking. Only
thing was the mark made by the rotating strip meant that
you had to frost the cake layers to hide the "cheat" mark.

I think I finally tossed 'em because they started to
rust were the plating wore off. Nice to know they're
still available if I ever get the urge to bake something
other than bundt or pound cakes.

Nyssa, who has more baking pans that she'll ever use