This $25 Restaurant-Grade Baking Pan Helped Me Make the Best Cake for My Friend’s Birthday (It Got So Many Compliments!)
Look, I’m not much of a baker, and I feel like I have to come right out and say that the title of this piece is a touch misleading, in that I took a more … “supervisory” role while my amazing girlfriend (hi, Brooke!) baked the cake in question. Basically, a friend of mine recently had a birthday party at a bar that lets you bring in outside food, and as I’ve been looking for an excuse to test out the highly acclaimed Great Jones Square One (from the makers of some of our editors’ favorite cookware), I jumped at the chance. We decided to make a churro-inspired cake with cream cheese frosting — which, if you’ve never made one, you should — and even though I’m not a huge fan of sweets, it was a total hit. The results were unsurprisingly awesome, thanks in no small part to the effectiveness and gorgeous presentation of the pan. (Psst: Great Jones is having a huge Black Friday sale as we speak!)
What Is the Great Jones Square One?
This dishwasher-friendly square baking dish features Great Jones’ signature groovy, corrugated bottom and nonstick, non-toxic coating. It measures 9×9 inches, is made with aluminized steel for durability, and weighs just 1.5 pounds, so you won’t be struggling to put this in the oven, unlike heavy cast iron or ceramic. It’s oven-safe up to 450°F, and is available in two shades, Broccoli (a bright green) and Blueberry (a striking blue). I got mine in Blueberry, and I couldn’t be happier.
Why I Love the Great Jones Square One
While the biggest draw for me is how effective the pan is, I first have to get across just how gorgeous the Square One is. After baking and decorating the cake, we realized we didn’t have a Tupperware big enough to put it in, so we figured, what the heck, and popped it back into the pan and just put some foil across the top. That turned out to be a great decision because we got so many compliments on the fun shade of blue — rather than a beat-up old metal cake pan. Essentially, it’s its own serving plate. As for the baking itself, we couldn’t ask for more, since there was no warping in the oven, it baked super evenly, and the non-toxic, nonstick coating is actually as awesome as Great Jones suggests. They also claim that the wavy textured bottom allows for extra-easy release, and we can definitely confirm that. (The picture above was taken after we popped the cake out — without any washing or wiping.)
The textured bottom also leaves a cool imprint on the base of the cake. At 9×9 inches, it’s a great size for smaller households, but it can also make a cake for a bunch of people (we had 10 people) depending on the size of your slice. Plus, it’s pretty slim so that you can use it as a storage container (with a little foil) in the fridge. And, as you can see, the cake was a huge hit.
We’re not the only ones who dig the Square One, either. “There really is something to having bakeware in fun colors — it makes life so much more fun,” one reviewer wrote. “These are as beautiful as they are functional.” So, if you’re on the hunt for your next piece of forever bakeware, you really can’t go wrong with Great Jones’ Square One — especially while it’s on sale!
Buy: Square One, $25 (normally $30)
