Help, what should I do if I don’t have the right baking tin?

If you’re a regular baker, you probably have a cupboard full of baking tins and moulds of every shape. Some bakes, however, like angel food cake, madeleines or a bundt cake require special cake tins which, let’s be honest, you’ll probably only use once or twice and is not worth spending your hard-earned Randelas on. But I’m here to tell you that you can still bake up a storm with the equipment you have at home – it just requires some clever hacking. Suzelle, eat your heart out!

To make a DIY bundt tin or angel food cake tin

First, start by lining your regular round cake tin with baking paper. Cut a circle to fit the bottom and collar to fit the sides – we don’t want the cake sticking!

Next, get a tin can – this could be a can of Coke or an empty tin from baked beans (with the label removed). The size of the can depends on how big you want the hole in the centre to be. Make sure it’s clean, then wrap the outside of the tin in baking paper. Weigh it down by filling the can with dried beans or rice, so it doesn’t move around.

Place the tin in the centre of a normal round cake tin.

Next, make a hole in the centre of the bottom circle of baking paper to fit the tin can. To do this, fold the bottom circle of baking paper in half and in half again then cut the tip off so it creates a hole that just fits over the tin. Unfold the baking paper and place it over the tin can.

When you’re filling the cake tin with batter, remember that you’re DIYing it – the amount of cake batter might not fit the tin you’ve created! To be safe, always fill any cake tin two-thirds of the way up. Use any leftover batter to make cupcakes!

To make a DIY madeleine tin

While a madeleine tin gives the little cakes a pretty pattern, large dessert spoons will do the job just as well! Make sure the spoons are nice and deep then place them on a baking sheet with a 1cm-high rim. Arrange the spoons so the handles are resting on the rim of the baking sheet. (This is to level them and make sure the batter doesn’t spread everywhere.) Spray them thoroughly with baking spray then fill with 2 teaspoons of madeleine mix. Bake as normal.

To make a DIY mini-cake tin

Clean tin cans and tuna cans work amazingly well as mini baking tins. Remove the labels and give them a proper wash (no one wants to eat fishy cake!) then line them with baking paper inside, and voilà!