Save Some Money And Reuse Your Parchment Cake Liners. Here's How

Many bakers know the time-saving benefits of lining a cake pan with parchment paper. This simple act not only makes removing a cake from the pan seamless, but it also eliminates the arduous, time-consuming process of scrubbing stubborn cake remnants and crumbs to clean the bottom of the pan.

While parchment paper comes to the rescue and is an efficiency pro-tip in the kitchen (especially if you use cake round liners that come pre-cut), you may have second thoughts about the amount of waste generated, as well as the accumulated cost of pieces of parchment that get thrown away after just one use. In fact, many parchment papers are not even recyclable due to the silicone they contain, which helps with the nonstick function of the paper.

As the seasons change and flowers start to bloom, if you're yearning to get creative with springtime cake recipes but want to limit your waste in the kitchen, reusing your cake liners is a sustainable trick that could save you big bucks over time, especially if you bake frequently. While unexpected, it's quick and easy to reuse cake liners. You can clean them with a kitchen tool you likely already have on hand: a bench scraper.

In a February TikTok, Bon Appétit reveals how to use a bench scraper as a tool for cleaning and reusing parchment cake liners. By simply running the scraper along the surface of the used parchment paper, you can wipe off the crumbs, creating a clean parchment surface that's pretty much good as new. (Plastic scrapers are best; the metal kinds will rip the paper.)

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Upon scraping the cake liner, you'll find that the sticky cake crumbs come off with ease. Give your liner a thorough scrape, covering the whole surface area of the liner and giving it a couple of pass-through scrapes. The result: a repurposed cake liner ready to be filled with batter for your next cake. 

Reuse cake liners immediately if you're having a marathon baking day, or simply store them in a cool, dry container to use at a later date.

It might seem like a small action, but cleaning and reusing your cake liners is a simple and effective way to save money and reduce waste as you bake. 

With the cost of living on the rise due to factors including inflation, any way to reduce costs in the kitchen is a win. While it's easy enough to cut out rounds of parchment paper, you could also cut costs by reusing it.

Though it may seem insignificant, a standard roll of parchment paper can run you anywhere from two to six dollars at most grocery stores or online, especially if you purchase the more eco-friendly and unbleached versions of the kitchen staple. (If you opt for the conveniently pre-cut parchment cake rounds or squares, the price can be higher due to the convenience factor.) Some bakers recommend buying parchment paper at the dollar store to save cash, but we recommend (re)using what you already have.