pans come in a vast assortment of shapes, sizes, and materials. The correct pan is as essential to many cakes as the batter itself. For example, French cake pans have sloping sides that make possible an even coating of melted fondant icing for classic gâteaux. English cake pans with straight sides are deeper than American ones so as to accommodate heavier fruit-laden batters; shallow American pans are designed for stacked layer cakes that are tall with straight sides. Even tart pans are different: a French tart pan is made of metal with a decorative, fluted edge and a removable base for easy unmolding, whereas an American pie plate has sloping sides for ease of serving the pie directly from it. The oval, deep English pie dish is unknown in either country.
