How to Reuse Vegetable Cans to Make Small Cakes

Remove the vegetable can lid completely for baking.

When you need to bake a cake, but have a limited supply of baking pans, rummage through your pantry for substitute supplies, such as vegetable cans. Vegetable cans, which come packaged in tin, can be emptied and reused for baking small cakes. When you bake with vegetable cans it's important to note that the baking time will need to change in order to account for the shape of the cake. It may take longer for the cake to bake than it would in a regular cake pan, because the vegetable can is deeper.

Things You'll Need

• Can opener
• Soap and water
• Dishrag
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Small bowl
• Microwave
• Pastry brush
• Cake batter
• Ladle
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Timer
• Toothpick
• Cooling rack
• Oven mitts

Instructions

1. Remove the lid of the vegetable can with a can opener.

2. Empty the contents of the vegetable can into an airtight container for later use. Wash the can thoroughly to remove all traces of residue. Dry the inside and outside of the can with a dishrag.

3. Preheat the oven for the set temperature for the cake recipe.

4. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl and microwave it for 20 seconds, or until the butter melts. Dip the pastry brush into the melted butter and brush the butter onto the inside of the cans. Coat the bottom and sides of the cans with the butter, which acts as an anti-sticking agent.

5. Ladle the cake batter into the cans. Fill the cans up half way with the batter. The cake will expand upward as it bakes, so you want to be sure you have enough room toward the top of the can so the cake doesn't spill over.

6. Place the vegetable cans on a baking sheet and stick them into the oven. Set a timer for five minutes longer than the time indicated on the cake recipe. So, if the cake recipe calls for the cake to bake for 18 minutes, set the timer for 23 minutes to account for the depth of the cake can.

7. Pull out the vegetable cans once the timer goes off. Insert a toothpick into the center of the can to test the batter. If the toothpick comes up clean, then the cakes are fully cooked. If the toothpick has wet cake batter, bake the cakes for a longer duration.

8. Let the cakes cool in the cans for five minutes. Tip the cans over the cooling rack and let the cakes slide out onto the racks. Wear your oven mitts when handling the tin cans, which will still be very hot from the oven.

Tips & Warnings

• Use caution when removing the tin lid, for the sharp edges could accidentally cut you if you aren't careful.