Silicone bakeware, which includes anything from pan liners to muffin cups, bundt pans to novelty cake pans, is a popular choice for various baking purposes. Silicone bakeware is comprised of silicone rubber, which is a combination of linked silicone and oxygen. During the production and curing processes, heat is used to put the silicone into shape. During the manufacturing process, silicone rubber can also be injection molded into various shapes.
Silicone rubber is a non-toxic material. According to the FDA, it does not generate any fumes, does not leach into food, and has no health risks. In addition, it is non-reactive, according to experts, and is a suitable choice for low-risk cookware.
If you’re anxious about the potential effects of using silicone bakeware, limit your use to spatulas, trivets, and other objects that aren’t exposed to heat regularly. If you decide to use silicone pans, bear in mind that they should be baked on a hard surface, such as a cookie sheet. Lifting a flexible pan from the oven can result in burns and a cake that ends up on the floor rather than on the table.
Silicone bakeware from well-known cookware manufacturers is often made of FDA-approved food-grade silicone, which should be stated clearly on the container. In addition, each piece of silicone has a maximum oven temperature guideline from the vendor, which is usually written right on the item. If you stick to the heat limitations, you’ll be able to use these for years.
Can Silicone Bakeware Go in A Toaster Oven?
Yes, it is generally safe to do so. Silicone bakeware is resistant to cold, and heat extremes and can withstand temperatures up to 428° Fahrenheit/220° Celsius in the oven. It can go straight from the range to the fridge or freezer; you won’t have issues cleaning it. Much of the silicone bakeware items on Amazon are advertised as nonstick, but we highly recommend that you use the nonstick spray before using these. Some additional guidelines are listed below:
- Spray the pan with cooking spray
For starters, while silicone is commonly thought of as a nonstick substance, we’ve discovered that this isn’t always the case. That’s why we always spray our silicone bakeware with cooking spray before baking any cakes for our puppies. This ensures that the silicone will not stick to anything.
- Use a cookie sheet underneath
Silicone cake pans are flexible, as you’ll observe. This makes them easier to preserve and remove the cake from the mold later. However, when pouring cake batter, things can become a little messy. If you try and pick up a silicone pan filled with batter, it will most likely spill all over the place.
That’s why, before pouring in the batter, we recommend setting your silicone baking pans on a cookie sheet. This will make it easier to put the pans in the oven or toaster oven. Also, remember to remove them after the cake is made.
- If you’re using darker-colored silicone bakeware, lengthen the cooking time.
When baking cakes, brownies, cornbread, or anything else in your silicone bakeware, you may notice that it takes a bit longer to cook everything through. That’s because a dark-colored cake pan necessitates more time. So look at the cake box or the recipe for whatever you’re cooking, and make sure to follow the dark bakeware instructions. It usually only takes an extra five or ten minutes.
- When using commercial recipes, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
At high temperatures, silicone pans are safe to use. As a result, silicone molds can be used in both the oven and the microwave.
Can You Use Silicone Baking Pans in A Toaster Oven?
Yes, there’s no reason for you not to use silicone baking pans in a regular toaster oven. Toaster ovens operate on the same principle as ovens, only they are far smaller, and they are not designed to hold and indirectly distribute heat to all parts of the toaster oven.
Toaster ovens provide a quick and efficient source of heat for toasty breakfasts and snacks. For everything else, there’s the electric oven or gas oven for more demanding recipes.
Just make sure that you follow the temperature requirements when working with silicone baking pans and ensure that you know how your recipe will react to the toaster oven’s temperature.
Additionally, recipes that generally require sustained, indirect heat over some time may not be as successful if you use a toaster oven. For example, cookies are more likely to burn on the bottom before the tops are finally cooked simply because the interior of the toaster oven is unfit for making traditional cookies.
However, bear in mind that some toaster ovens equipped with huge heating coils can attain temperatures of up to 500° Fahrenheit/260° Celsius.
This range is already beyond the capacity of standard silicone baking molds and silicone baking pans, so be careful and always be mindful of the temperature when attempting to use a toaster oven for regular baking.
What Is Safe to Put in A Toaster Oven?
Oven-safe cookware or bakeware is safe to put in a toaster oven. You can’t go wrong with stainless steel and cast-iron cookware, either. Aluminum cookware, whether anodized or not, is also appropriate for toaster ovens. Should you have pricier copper cookware, you can use that, too.
However, due to the nature of the heating inside a toaster oven, we recommend being very careful with using ceramic dishes and even high-end stoneware.
The temperature inside a toaster oven is uneven, and there will be hotspots or areas where the temperature will reach extremes. Since stoneware and bakeware, in general, are designed only to withstand the sustained, indirect heating characteristic of ovens, it’s a different story when they are placed inside toaster ovens. Always revert to the manufacturer’s warnings and instructions for use, so you do not accidentally crack expensive ceramicware/stoneware or oven-safe glassware. While, in theory, toaster ovens and regular ovens are similar, they have different heat signatures while in use.
