Patent Publication Number: US-2011064855-A1

Title: Checkerboard baking pan system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/242,048, filed Sep. 14, 2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The technology described herein relates to a baking pan having an insert for making a checkerboard cake. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Round checkerboard cake pan systems are known. They are typically made in two or three layers and when cake slices are cut from the cake, a checkerboard pattern is visible in the cake batter. Round systems include two or three round cake pans and an insert that is seated in each cake pan. The insert includes at least two round inner walls that are separated by braces. There are presently no known rectangular checkerboard cake pan systems that allow a user to bake a cake in a checkerboard pattern. However, it was previously known to cut a rectangular cake into sections once the cake has been baked and then position alternating sections adjacent one another to form a checkerboard pattern. This is labor intensive and the resulting cake is unstable due to the various cuts in the cake, which must be glued together with frosting. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the teachings described herein, a non-circular checkerboard baking pan system is described. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an example baking pan system, shown in an exploded view; 
         FIG. 2  depicts the example baking pan system of  FIG. 1  with an insert seated within a baking pan; and 
         FIG. 3  depicts a finished triple layer cake that may be formed from the example baking pan system. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The technology described herein relates generally to a system and method for forming a non-circular checkerboard cake  10 . Any non-circular cake is contemplated as long as the cake has a length L and a width W. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example system  20  for forming a rectangular checkerboard cake  10  is shown. By way of example, the system  20  includes three rectangular baking pans  22  and an insert  24 . Three inserts  24  are shown for exemplary purposes. However, the system my only include one or two inserts  24 , if desired, or fewer pans  22 . The pans  22  are the same shape and size, although they could alternatively be different shapes and sizes, as long as the pans  22  can be used together to form a cake. It should be noted that while the drawings and the discussion below are in the context of a rectangular cake, other shapes may also be utilized with equal success. 
     The baking pan  22  has a bottom wall  26  and upstanding side walls  28 . The side walls  28  extend along the sides  30  and the ends  32  of the pan  22  in a contiguous manner in order to form a receptacle  34  for receiving cake batter (not shown). The pan  22  has a length L and a width W. In this case, since the pan  22  is rectangular, the length L is greater than the width W. The pan  22  may have rounded edges  35 , as shown, or other edges. The shape of the pan  22  is not critical to the invention other than it should have a length L and a width W and, thus, not be circular. 
     Three pans  22  may be provided in order to bake a three layer  12 ,  14 ,  16  checkerboard cake  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . More or less layers may also be utilized. For example, a single pan  22  could be provided with a single insert  24 , in which case the consumer would need to bake one layer  12 ,  14 ,  16  at a time. If two or three pans  22  are provided, then two or three layers  12 ,  14 ,  16  can be baked at a single time in the same oven, depending upon the size of the oven and the size of the pans  22 . The side walls  28  of the pan  22  include a top edge  36  which serves as a rim. The rim  36  may be a turned over piece of material, or any known type of rim. The pan  22  may be metal, silicon, plastic, or other known materials that can be used for baking purposes, either in an oven or in a microwave. To the extent that the term oven is utilized herein, it is meant to encompass any type of oven, including a conventional oven and a microwave oven. 
     The insert  24 , shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes two dividing members  38  which are positioned inside the pan  22 . The dividing members  38  extend longitudinally and together with the pan  22  form three separate channels  40 ,  42 ,  44 . More than two dividing members  38  may also be utilized if more channels are desired. In addition, the dividing members  38  could alternatively extend width-wise instead of lengthwise. The insert  24  is insertable into and removable from the pan  22 . The insert  24  is typically installed in the pan  22  before cake batter is poured into the pan  22  and then is gingerly removed from the pan  22  after the batter has been poured into the channels  40 ,  42 ,  44  in order to not stir up the cake batter during removal. Internal pressure within the liquid batter should prevent the batter from mixing after the insert  24  is removed. 
     The dividing members  38  are shown as substantially flat bars or strap that have a height H and length L. The flat surfaces of the bars are parallel to the sides  30  of the baking pan  22  and may have a height H that is greater than the height H of the side walls  28  so that at least part of the insert  24  extends slightly above the top rim  36  of the baking pan  22 . 
     Cross-braces  46  are coupled to the dividing members  38  in order to maintain them in spaced relation and to stabilize the insert  24 . The cross-braces  46  are shown extending width-wise across the baking pan  22  and are strap-like members that have substantially flat upper and lower surfaces. The flat surfaces of the straps  46  are parallel to the bottom wall  26  of the baking pan  22 , when installed. Two cross-braces  46  are shown, but more could be utilized. The cross-braces  46  are fixedly coupled to the dividing members  38  in order to maintain the dividing members  38  in spaced relation. The cross-braces  46  may be evenly spaced along the length L of the baking pan  22 , or may be non-evenly space. For example, as shown, the braces  46  are positioned closer to the ends  32  of the baking pan  22 . 
     The cross-braces  46  extend perpendicular to the direction of the dividing members  38 . When the dividing members  38  extend lengthwise, as shown, the cross-braces  46  extend width-wise. When the dividing members  38  extend width-wise, the cross-braces  46  extend length-wise. The cross-braces  46  may be coupled to the dividing members  38  in any known manner, including by welding, adhesive, clip, or any other know technique for joining materials. The insert may be metal, plastic, silicon, or any other material known to those of skill in the art. Since the insert and baking pan are in contact with food, it is preferred that they be food safe. 
     The cross-braces  46  may have a length L that is less than the corresponding width W of the pan  22  (or vice versa if the braces  46  extend lengthwise). Alternatively, as shown, the cross-braces  46  may have a length L that is greater than the width W of the pan  22  such that the ends  48  of the cross-brace  46  sit on top of the rim  36  of the baking pan  22 . The ends  48  of the cross-braces  46  may also have wings  50  that bend downwardly at about a 90 degree angle to wrap around the side  30  of the pan  22 . The wings  50  may be angled at another angle, such as at any angle between about 45 degrees and about 90 degrees, for example. 
       FIG. 3  shows a cake  10  after three layers  12 ,  14 ,  16  of rotating colored batter have been positioned on top of one another. As is evident, a checkerboard pattern is visible at the end of the cake  10 . By providing more dividing members  38 , a greater number of rows, defined by channels, can be created for the checkerboard. If a two color checker board is preferred, in the first  12  and third layers  16  of the cake  10 , the user would put a first color C 1  in the two outer channels  40 ,  44  and a second color C 2  in the inner channel  42 . For the second layer  14 , the user would use the opposite, with the first color C 1  being positioned in the center channel  42  and the second color C 2  being positioned in the outer channels  40 ,  44 . 
     Frosting may be used on the cake, such as between the layers and around the top, sides, and ends of the cake  10  (not shown). The frosting may be useful to help to stabilize the layers on top of one another, depending upon how firm and sticky the frosting is. Alternatively, the cake  10  can remain frosting free so that the checkerboard pattern is visible at all times instead of being obscured by frosting. 
     The method for forming a non-circular checkerboard cake  10  includes the following steps. First a baking pan  22 , such as that described above, is provided. An insert  24  is positioned in the baking pan  22  and then batter is poured into the channels  40 ,  42 ,  44  that are formed by the insert  24  inside the baking pan  22 . Preferably, a first color C 1  is provided in the first channel  40 , a second color C 2  is provided in the second channel  42 , and a third color C 3  is provided in the third channel  44 . The first C 1  and third C 3  colors may be the same, such as in the case of a two color checkerboard, shown in  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, all three colors C 1 , C 2 , C 3  could be different from one another (not shown). 
     Once the batter is poured into the channels  40 ,  42 ,  44 , the insert  24  may be removed by lifting vertically out of the pan  22 . This will allow the batter in each channel  40 ,  42 ,  44  to flow toward the batter in an adjacent channel. Once the rows of batter meet, they should generally not mingle together in any appreciable manner. Once the insert  24  has been removed, the baking pan  22  is ready to be placed in an oven such that the batter can be cooked to form a first layer  12  of a cake  10 . 
     A second layer  14  of cake  10  can be formed in the same manner. The insert  24  is inserted into a second baking pan  22  and the same steps, as identified above, are followed. If a two color checkerboard is desired, the first color C 1  of batter would be positioned in the center channel  42  and the second color C 2  of batter would be positioned in the side channels  40 ,  44 . This second layer  14  may then also be baked. It can be baked simultaneously with the first layer  12  or separately. In addition, where only one cake pan  22  is available, the second layer  14  of cake  10  would be baked once the first  12  layer of cake  10  has been removed from the baking pan  22 . 
     In a similar manner, the third layer  16  of cake  10  may be formed. The insert  24  is inserted into a third baking pan  22  and the same steps, as identified above, are followed. Where a two-color checkerboard is desired, the first color C 1  is positioned in the first channel  40 , the second color C 2  is positioned in the center channel  42 , and the third color C 3  (which would be the same color as the first color C 1 ) is positioned in the third channel  44 . The batter is then baked to make the third layer  16 . As above, if only one cake pan  22  is available, the third layer  16  of the cake  10  may be baked once the first and second layers  12 ,  14  are removed from the baking pan  22 . 
     Once all three layers  12 ,  14 ,  16  are baked, the first, second, and third layers  12 ,  14 ,  16  are stacked on top of one another. Either the first  12  or third  16  layer may be positioned on the bottom. Then the second layer  14  is positioned in the middle and the remaining layer is positioned on top. This will provide the cake  10  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     There may be times when more than two colors C 1 , C 2  are preferred in a cake  10 . For example, a child might prefer a multi-colored cake that has different colors in each of the layers (for a total of 9 colors), such as a rainbow cake, or where 3 or more colors are utilized. In practice, typically a user will mix up two different kinds of cake batter, so two colors C 1 , C 2  will typically be utilized, but food coloring could be added in order to provide different colors with the same cake batter, if desired. Thus, any variation of colors may be utilized. In order to obtain a checkerboard pattern, it is desirable that the same colors are not placed in the same positions for side-by-side layers, although this is not critical to the invention. 
     Once the cake layers  12 ,  14 ,  16  are stacked on top of each other, frosting may be applied around the top and sides of the cake  10 . Alternatively, frosting could be positioned between each layer and/or around the top and sides of the cake  10 . Frosting is optional. 
     As discussed above, the baking pan  22  can be rectangular, square, triangular, a rhomboid, a parallelogram, an oval, or any novelty shape. Novelty shapes include characters, numbers, letters and other shapes as known by those of skill in the art. More or less dividers  38  may be utilized. In addition, any number of colors may be utilized for the batter, the invention not being limited to a particular color, to a particular orientation of the dividers, or to a particular number of dividers, cross-braces, or colors. Moreover, while the insert  24  is shown as resting on top of the baking pan  22  via braces  46 , alternative techniques for inserting the dividers could also be utilized. For example, channels or other supports (not shown) could be defined in the walls  28  of the pan  22  for receiving the dividers  38 , so that no cross-braces  46  are required. 
     A material other than cake batter may be utilized, if desired, such as brownie mix, Jell-O, or some other type of material. Thus, when the term “cake batter” is used herein in discussing the invention, it should be recognized that other materials may also be utilized with similar success. 
     One material that may be utilized for the baking pan  22  and insert  24  is carbon steel with a non-stick coating, as known by those of skill in the art. Also, while one insert  24  is shown, more than one insert  24  may be provided in a single kit, if desired. 
     The term “substantially,” if used herein, is a term of estimation. 
     While various features are presented above, it should be understood that the features may be used singly or in any combination thereof. Further, it should be understood that variations and modifications may occur to those skilled in the art to which the claimed examples pertain. The examples described herein are exemplary. The disclosure may enable those skilled in the art to make and use alternative designs having alternative elements that likewise correspond to the elements recited in the claims. The intended scope may thus include other examples that do not differ or that insubstantially differ from the literal language of the claims. The scope of the disclosure is accordingly defined as set forth in the appended claims. 
     LIST OF TERMS 
     
         
           10  non-circular checkerboard cake 
           20  system for forming a rectangular checkerboard cake 
           22  pan; L; W 
           24  insert 
           26  bottom wall of pan 
           28  side walls of pan; H 
           30  sides of pan 
           32  ends of pan 
           34  receptacle 
           35  rounded edges 
           36  top edge of pan/rim 
           38  dividing members H, L 
           40  first channel (side channel) 
           42  second channel (center channel) 
           44  third channel (side channel) 
           46  cross-braces L 
           48  ends of braces 
           50  wings of braces