GB2435197A

GB2435197A - A liner for a cake tin

Info

Publication number: GB2435197A
Application number: GB0602994A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Guy Darell Unwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-15
Filing date: 2006-02-15
Publication date: 2007-08-22
Also published as: GB0602994D0

Abstract

A liner for a cake tin is formed from a flexible single piece of low friction heat resistant material shaped to suit a variety of standard baking and cake tins. Preferably the liner has a basal portion 3 and a set of flaps 5 defined by a plurality of inwardly angled slits 4 around the circumference of the basal portion. Alternatively the liner may have a linear strip of material (10, Fig 5) of sufficient length to girdle the required cake tin which is attached tangentially to the basal portion and overlies said flaps when the liner is inserted into the cake tin. The liner preferably possesses a low surface friction for example made from polytetrafluoroethane (PTFE), a substrate of glass fibre coated with PTFE, a member of the silicone family of polymers, acetate cellulose or cellophane greaseproof or waxed paper or baking parchment or other heat resistant material. Where the liner is made from a silicone rubber, the entire form may be created without the requirement of the slits.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN CAKE BAKING RELEASE AGENTS

This invention relates to a release agent for use in baking cakes, as a modern replacement for waxed or greaseproof paper or baking parchment.

The background to the invention is that those people wishing to bake a cake using a traditional metal cake tin have been required to form a liner for the particular baking tin from greaseproof paper or baking parchment, usually having to grease the inner surface of the liner so formed with butter or other fat in order to permit the release of the finished cake after baking. If these precautions are not taken the cake is likely to suffer damage when being removed from the cake tin. The forming of the liner is therefore essential to the success of the manufacture of the cake, and is complex, taking several minutes to create, especially when making a circular cake form. The creation of such a cake tin liner generally involves the actions of cutting a square of material whether greaseproof paper or baking parchment as commonly known; cutting said square into a circle at least an inch (2.5 cm.) larger than the desired cake base; slitting the edges of said circle in a plurality of locations around the circumference of said circle to a depth of perhaps half an inch (1.25 cm.); cutting a strip of the same material hereinbefore mentioned into a strip of at least the same height as the cake tin to be lined and if the length of said strip is less than the circumference of said cake tin to be lined then cutting and forming one or more strips the same width until said cake tin is lined circumferentially; laying all required lining material inside said cake tin; and finally greasing said lining prior to inserting the cake dough before placing the whole into the oven. Mrs. Beeton (amongst 2/11 numerous other cookery reference books) recommends cutting the circle for the base to the exact size and then taking the circumferential strip, folding it lengthwise and cutting diagonal slits from the edge to said fold at inch intervals along its length.

Our searches found no prior art for improved lining materials, despite certain references to improved containers or cake tins for baking. A product named Cake Wrap made from strips of acetate is available in the United States of America.

Acetate is commonly known in the United Kingdom as cellophane. Strips of varying lengths and widths but predominantly approximately 2 inches wide are sold in packs of a thousand, and it is assumed that said strips are laid in an array to cover the circumference of the cake tin as a replacement for the above mentioned procedure.

According to the present invention there is provided a liner (hereinafter referred to as the liner) and method for using it to line a cake tin for cake or bread baking hereinafter referred to as the cake tin formed from a single piece of material shaped substantially to suit a variety of standard baking and cake tins whether square, rectangular, circular or irregularly shaped. Said material will typically possess low surface friction characteristics such as or one of the polytetrafluoroethan (PTFE) or silicone families, but other materials are not herein excluded. Said liner is likely to be flexible in order that the resulting cake when hardened by baking may be removed integrally with said liner from said cake tin prior to the removal of the baked cake from said liner. So-called non-stick surfaces when applied to containers for cake baking prove inadequate to release said baked cake from said cake tin due to the rigidity of the cake tin itself. To take the example of a circular cake tin and the example of a sheet of polytetrafluoroethan (PTFE) plastic 3/11 material or polytetrafluoroethane (PTFE) coating on a substrate of glass fibre or other heat resistant material said liner will be circular in shape and formed in a size according to the formula d = 2r+(h+e) where d is the diameter of the circle of material of said liner, r is the radius of the cake tin, h is the height of the circumferential side of said cake tin and the additional unit (+e) is to allow for expansion of the cake while baking, and may vary upwards from a value of zero.

The diameter of the liner will be made in several standard sizes varying according to the size of cake tin to be lined, and a plurality of slits will be formed inwardly from the circumference of said liner to the depth of (h+e) thus allowing for the easy placement of said liner into said cake tin by merely pressing said liner downwards into said cake tin and ensuring that the flaps of material formed by the circumferential slits overlap one on another around the circumference of said cake tin so that no liquid cake dough will escape from the formed container prior to or during the cooking process.

When applied to other shapes of cake tin the same logic will be applied so that for a rectangular cake tin the formula will be for the width of the liner d = r+(h+e) where d is the width of said liner, r is the width of the rectangular base of the cake tin and h is the height of the side of the perimeter of said cake tin; and for the length of the liner d = r+(h+e) where d is the length of said liner, r is the length of the rectangular base of the cake tin and h is the height of the side of the perimeter of said cake tin.

Said slits may be made in such as way as to form vee -shaped slits into the material, or such other form as may enable the best fit of the liner to the cake tin.

Similar methods to those aforesaid may be used to form a releasable liner from other materials as aforesaid such as a member of the silicone family of polymers, 4/11 acetate or cellophane, greaseproof paper, baking parchment and other heat resistant materials etcetera. An alternative form that the invention provides is a liner wherein a linear strip of material of sufficient length to girdle the required cake tin is attached tangentially to the basal portion to overlie said flaps defined by slits to form a peripheral wall of lining material when inserted into the cake tin and smoothed around the circumference of its side wall to form a peripheral wall of liner much as aforesaid. As in previous examples, said slits may by formed as vee-shaped slits, particularly as the flaps that are defined by said slits are overlain in use by said linear strip. Where the material chosen may be formed integrally in a mould, such as a silicone rubber, the entire form may be created without recourse to the slits that enable the flat sheet of material to accommodate the three-dimensional shape of the cake tin. In this instance the liner will fit a given cake tin from a range of standard sized cake tins as a foot fits into a shoe, and the same downward pressure will engage said liner into said cake tin. In all the aforementioned instances, once the liner is fitted into the cake tin then the liquid cake or other dough is poured into the container so formed and the whole is placed into an oven for baking. When the cake is judged to have been adequately cooked it is removed from the oven together with its surrounding cake tin and liner and placed on a level heatproof surface prior to the removal of the liner and the cake within the liner. The liner is then placed flat upon a suitable rack shelf or surface and either the flaps defined by the circumferential or peripheral slits are peeled away from the solidified and formed cake as and when desired, or in the case of a moulded liner the peripheral wall is released from the cake revealing the cake which will slide easily off the basal portion of the liner prior 5/11 to finishing or decorating. The entire method permitted by the invention is likely to save considerable time and effort, and may be of particular use to the manually disadvantaged or young people.

In the following drawings it is not intended to exclude features from another Figure from each specific embodiment but rather to provide a basis for their combination in specific applications.

While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof, as described and illustrated herein, is not to be considered in a limited sense, as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claims.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows the essential features of the invention as applied to a circular cake tin.

Figure 2 shows the invention formed from a three-dimensionally moulded material as applied to a circular cake tin.

Figure 3 shows the invention formed from a three-dimensionally moulded material as applied to a circular cake tin. 6/11

Figure 4 shows the invention as applied to an irregularly shaped cake tin.

Figure 5 shows a liner for a cake tin wherein the peripheral wall is formed from a linear strip of material attached tangentially to the basal portion.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the essential features of the invention as applied to a circular cake tin 1. The cake tin I having a basal portion 8 and a side wall 7 is ready to accommodate the liner 2 which has been formed of a single flat sheet of material having a basal portion 3 and slits 4 defining flaps 5. Said slits 4 may equally be formed into vee-shaped slits 6 as shown, the whole liner 2 being capable of conforming to the cake tin I by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion 3 lies flat against said basal portion 8 of the cake tin I followed by a check to ensure that the flaps 5 lay substantially flat against the side wall 7 of the cake tin 1.

Figure 2 shows the invention formed from a three-dimensionally moulded material as applied to a circular cake tin I. The cake tin 1 having a basal portion 8 and a side wall 7 is ready to accommodate the liner 2 which has been formed of a moulded plastic material having a basal portion 3 and peripheral wall 9. Slits are not herein required, the whole liner 2 being capable of conforming to the cake tin I by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion 3 lies flat against said basal portion 8 of the cake tin I followed by a check to ensure that the peripheral wall 9 lies substantially flat against the side wall 7 of the cake tin 1. Slits 4 may optionally 7/11 be incorporated, and may equally be formed into vee-shaped slits 6 as shown. In this case said peripheral wall 9 will be moulded outwardly from the vertical angle in order to provide sufficient material to overlap and form a container. The whole liner 2 is therefore capable of conforming to the cake tin I by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion 3 lies flat against said basal portion 8 of the cake tin I followed by a check to ensure that the flaps 5 lay substantially flat against the side wall 7 of the cake tin I. Figure 3 shows the invention applied to a rectangular cake tin 1. The cake tin I having a basal portion 8 and a side wall or walls 7 is ready to accommodate the liner 2 which has been formed of a single flat sheet of material having a basal portion 3 and slits 4 defining flaps 5. Said slits 4 will be required to define the corner points of the basal portion 3 and the individual slits 4 may be formed inwardly at any angle to said corner point. Said slits 4 may equally be formed into vee-shaped slits 6 as shown, the whole liner 2 being capable of conforming to the cake tin I by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion 3 lies flat against said basal portion 8 of the cake tin I followed by a check to ensure that the flaps 5 lay substantially flat against the side wall or walls 7 of the cake tin I. Figure 4 shows the invention as applied to an irregularly shaped cake tin I. The cake tin 1 having a basal portion 7 and a side wall or walls 7 is ready to accommodate the liner 2 which has been formed of a single flat sheet of material 8/11 having a basal portion 3 and slits 4 defining flaps 5. Said slits 4 may equally be formed into vee-shaped slits 6 as shown, the whole liner 2 being capable of conforming to the cake tin I by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion 3 lies flat against said basal portion 8 of the cake tin I followed by a check to ensure that the flaps 5 lay substantially flat against the side wall or walls 7 of the cake tin 1. It will be noted that in all the above examples the defining feature of the design is the shape of the basal portion 3. Said shape is defined by the co-operating basal portion 8 of the cake tin 1 and circumferential or peripheral inwardly formed slits 4 cut into liner 2.

Figure 5 shows a liner 2 using the example of a circular cake tin I wherein a linear strip 10 of material of sufficient length to girdle the required cake tin I is attached tangentially to the basal portion 3 to overlie said flaps 5 defined by slits 4 to form a peripheral wall 9 of lining material when inserted into the cake tin I and smoothed around the circumference of its side wall 7 to form a peripheral wall 9 of liner 2. As in previous figures, said slits 4 may by formed as vee-shaped slits 6, particularly as the flaps 5 that they define are overlain is use by the linear strip 10. 9/11

Claims

CLAIMS

Claim 1. A releasable liner for a cake tin formed integrally from a single piece of low friction heat resistant material said releasable liner having a basal portion and a peripheral wall or set of flaps defined by a plurality of inwardly angled slits, said releasable liner being capable of conforming to the cake tin by a simple downward pressure so that said basal portion of the liner lies flat against the basal portion of the cake tin while said peripheral wall or flaps lay substantially flat against the side wall of the cake tin.

Claim
2. A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim I wherein said peripheral wall is formed from a linear strip of material attached tangentially to said basal portion to overlie said flaps as herein shown forming a wall when inserted into said cake tin.

Claim
3. A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim I or 2 formed of a sheet of plastic material of the polytetrafluoroethane (PTFE) family of compounds.

Claim 4 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 formed of a sheet featuring a substrate of glass fibre or other heat resistant material coated with a member of the polytetrafluoroethane (PTFE) family.

Claim 5 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 formed of a member of the silicone family of polymers.

Claim 6 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 formed from acetate cellulose or cellophane. 10/11

Claim 7 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim I or 2 formed from greaseproof or waxed paper.

Claim 8 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim I or 2 formed from baking parchment and other heat resistant material.

Claim 9 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 5 where the material may be formed integrally by moulding such as a member of the silicone rubber family and where the entire form may be created without recourse to said slits that enable a flat sheet of material to conform to a three-dimensional shape.

Claim 10 A liner for a cake tin as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 5 where the material may be formed integrally by moulding such as a member of the silicone rubber family featuring slits that enable a flat sheet of material to conform to a three-dimensional shape.

Claim 11 A liner as claimed in any preceding Claim for a circular, rectangular, square or irregularly shaped cake tin said liner being formed from materials as aforesaid such as a member of the polytetrafluoroethane (PTFE) or silicone families of polymers, acetate or cellophane, greaseproof paper, baking parchment and other suitable heat resistant materials etcetera.

Claim 12 A liner as claimed in any preceding Claim and method of lining a cake tin with a release material substantially as herein aforesaid and with reference to Figures 1 to 5.

Claim 13 A method of lining a cake tin with a ready shaped release material substantially as herein aforesaid and with reference to Figures 1 to 5.