How to Line a Round Cake Tin with Baking Parchment (No Sticking)

Mastering how to line a round cake tin is the foundational skill of great baking. Even high-end non-stick tins eventually lose their factory coating over time, developing microscopic scratches that grip baked crumb like superglue.

When a cake sticks, attempting to pry it loose tears the delicate sponge, leaves jagged chunks behind, and destroys the smooth surface needed for icing. Furthermore, properly fitted baking parchment acts as a heat buffer, shielding delicate cake edges from hot metal sidewalls to prevent over-browning. Whether you are making a delicate Victoria Sponge or our rich Mary Berry All-In-One Chocolate Cake, taking three minutes to line your tin guarantees clean edges and effortless release every single time.

A common kitchen mistake is assuming greaseproof paper and baking parchment are interchangeable. They behave very differently under oven heat:

• Baking Parchment (Silicone Paper): Coated on both sides with a microscopic layer of food-grade silicone. It is 100% non-stick, heat-resistant up to 220°C (425°F), and cake batter will peel away from it like silk without greasing.
• Traditional Greaseproof Paper: Resistant to grease, but has no silicone coating. Wet batter baked directly against greaseproof paper will absorb into the paper fibers and bake into a permanent bond unless it is heavily buttered.

• Baker's Rule: Always use silicone-treated Baking Parchment (often sold in the UK as Baking Paper or Parchment Paper). If you only have traditional greaseproof paper, you must thoroughly butter both sides of the paper.

Before you begin, gather these basic tools on your kitchen worktop:

• Your round cake tin (internal measurements verified—read our 1lb vs 2lb Loaf Tin Size Guide for scaling logic).
• A roll of quality silicone baking parchment.
• Sharp kitchen scissors.
• A lead pencil (graphite is non-toxic, but cut inside the line so lead never touches food).
• A pastry brush and 1 teaspoon of softened butter or tasteless sunflower oil.

For standard shallow sponge sandwich tins (around 4cm / 1.5 inches deep), lining the base circle alone is usually sufficient, provided the sides are lightly greased and floured:

• Step 1: Trace the Base: Place your round cake tin flat onto a sheet of baking parchment. Hold the tin steady and trace around the bottom circumference with a pencil.
• Step 2: Cut Inside the Line: When cutting out the circular disk with scissors, cut roughly 2mm inside your pencil line. This accounts for the metal thickness and ensures the circle lies perfectly flat on the bottom without buckling up the sidewalls.
• Step 3: Anchor and Insert: Lightly dab softened butter across the bottom of the tin to prevent slipping, press the parchment circle firmly into place, and smooth out air bubbles.

For deep celebration cakes, rich fruitcakes, or delicate sponges like our Jam and Coconut Sponge, you must line both the base and the sides with Mary Berry's classic pleated side collar:

• Step 1: Measure the Side Strip: Unroll a length of parchment long enough to wrap around the circumference of your tin, plus a 5cm (2-inch) overlap.
• Step 2: Measure the Height: Cut the strip wide enough so that it stands at least 2.5cm to 5cm (1 to 2 inches) taller than the top rim of the tin. This extra height acts as a chimney, supporting rising batter and shielding the cake crown from burning.
• Step 3: Fold the Fringe: Fold a 1.5cm (1/2-inch) crease along the entire bottom length of the paper strip.
• Step 4: Snip Diagonal Slits: With scissors, snip small diagonal V-shaped slits along that folded edge every 2cm to 3cm. This creates a flexible fringe.
• Step 5: Fit the Collar: Grease the internal sides of the tin with butter. Press the paper strip around the inside perimeter so the snipped fringe folds flat inward against the base of the tin.
• Step 6: Lock with the Base Circle: Drop your cut parchment base circle on top of the fringe and press firmly. The base circle pins down the side fringe, creating an airtight, completely sealed non-stick nest.

Have you ever tried pouring cake batter into a lined tin only for the parchment paper to slide around and crumple into the mixture? The secret used by professional bakery test kitchens is the Butter Anchor.

Dab four tiny dots of softened butter (the size of a pea) in the corners and center of the tin before pressing in your parchment. The butter acts as a temporary adhesive, holding the paper taut and smooth while you spread heavy, dense batters like our Mary Berry Classic Carrot Cake.

Depending on your tin style, lining technique varies slightly:

• Loose-Base Tins: Pop out the loose bottom disk. Place it on parchment, trace, cut, and drop it back onto the base.
• Springform Tins (The Trapdoor Method): Unclamp the tin. Lay a square sheet of parchment flat over the base plate, then clamp the outer ring down around it, letting the excess paper stick out outside the bottom rim. Trim the excess collar with scissors for a lightning-fast base lining.
• Fixed Tins (Solid Bottom): Leave two overlapping 'wings' or tabs of parchment hanging 5cm over the top rim on opposite sides. When the cake is baked, use these paper handles to lift the cake straight up out of the tin without inverting.

Mary Berry always insists that proper preparation before turning on the mixer is half the battle won in home baking. Never pour batter into an unlined tin assuming grease alone will protect you.

After removing a cake from the oven, let it stand in its lined tin on a wire rack for exactly 5 minutes (or 10 minutes for heavy loaves). This short rest allows the outer crust to firm up just enough to prevent tearing. Then gently peel the parchment away while the cake is warm—it will slide off smoothly without taking a single crumb of your sponge with it. If your cake rises unevenly or deflates, troubleshoot with our guide on Why Did My Cake Sink in the Middle?.