My Swans Down cake pan is 8 1/2 by 3 1/2 inches and it is in very good condition. The interior of the pan is bright and shiny and I still use this pan whenever I bake a sponge cake because the sliding side panels make it so easy to slip a knife inside to loosen the cake. When you slide the side panels up after the cake has baked and been taken out of the oven, it also helps the cake to cool more quickly than a conventional tube cake pan.
As you can see from the photographs, the pan has the two side panels that cleverly slide up and down, and the words “Swans Down Cake Pan Pat. Dec. 18-23” and “E. Katzinger Co. Chicago Licensed Mfrs.” are stamped on both side panels. Inside the pan on the bottom are the words “Swans Down Cake Flour Makes Better Cakes.” This pan came from the Katzinger Company, a company that made pans for bakeries in the early twentieth century and eventually became the Ekco Products Company we know today.
Many years ago my mother got this Swans Down tube cake pan as a free premium with the purchase of a bag of flour. She always used this pan when she made my favorite sponge cake (the same one I make now).
I have always enjoyed having this pan and using it… partly because it is old, but also because it is constructed in such a unique way. I did not realize that this pan is also very collectible. Recently I came across a similar pan at a kitchen collectibles auction. The pan for sale was like mine except that it was smaller and was a simpler version without the sliding side panels.
Unlike mine, it also had quite a bit of rust!
ellen b
This is the first time I’ve seen anything like that cake pan. Would like to have a piece of the sponge cake you make in it! :)
Enjoy…
jodi
What a beautiful cake pan. I’ve never seen one with side panels like that.
Susan
What a very special item to have and especially that you still use it.
Susan – Penless Writer
Lana G.
Love the cake pan! That is something you would see on the Antique Road Show and they would tell you its worth a mint!
Enjoy!
L.S.
I have never seen anything like that. Thank you for sharing. :)
Marci
What a neat pan. I love older things, especially things you can use.
Kelli
What a special treasure! I’ll bet your mother’s sponge cake is delicious!
Kelli
Pam
What a unique treasure to own. I love it! So the company became Ecko? Thanks for the history lesson!
Tim R.
I bought this Swans Down cake pan in Portland, Or. in 1993 and have used it for every cake since then. I was attracted to the obvious step up in technology for cake pans because of the sliding panels. I used it for a long time before I realized I could slide a knife in the bottom to help release the cake. I am rather slow witted sometimes. My attraction to vintage baking pans is because of the obvious care and love that went into the handling and keeping of baking pans, all the countless cakes and loaves made by caring hands. My kitchen in my home is a vintage 1920’s kitchen, hardly changed in 90 years, I love it. My pans look like they came with the house. Thank you. Tim.
Deborah
I was searching for the possible of my own swans down pan and it is exactly like yours. And now I know what is worth I will hang onto it. Thanks for the info. Deborah
Ginny
I have one too (from my mother), and just pulled it out of the oven to cool.
While I would never sell it, my children are not as nostalgic as I, or at least, not yet. I’ll let them know that it’s worth something.
I’m convinced that this pan makes exceptional cakes.
Frank
I have the same pan. Not in as good a shape but I took it out and cleaned it up real good and I am going to make a root beer cake for 4th of July party. Thanks for reminding me that I had it.
Jack
I bought a Swans Down cake pan today at a garage for $1.00. I knew it was an antique, but didn’t realize the value. Thank you for your article.
Robynn W.
I was very surprised to come across this cake pan pictured here. I am always on the look out for OLD and unique things and I happpened to find this EXACT pan in our local Goodwill store. The price was .97, I purchased it and I am so pleased to see someone was able to tell me alittle bit about it!! I think I got a terrfiic buy!!! Thank You!!!!
anne
I just purchased this exact pan today at an estate sale for $5 and thought it might be a good deal. I am so glad to find out more about this pan and what the side vents are for. Now all I need is the sponge cake recipe.
Shirley (Choosing Voluntary Simplicity)
Anne, if you mean the sponge cake I make, the link to the recipe is in the article above. It’s a very easy recipe and the cake is wonderful!
Donna
I just bought this same pan at a flea market today. They had a $15 tag on it, gave it to me for $9. There is no rust on it and is in really good shape compaired to others I saw on Ebay. I thought the side handles released the bottom so the pan would remove from the sides. Until I saw the comments on this article I was going to give it away to someone who simply likes to display old items. Now I can’t wait to use it myself.
mark
Hi Shirley,I just found the exact cake pan at a flea market today. I got it for 3 dollars!I have recently been collecting primitives for my house and I saw this pan and loved it!I never thought of baking with it like you do but who knows. mine is in the same shape as yours and I figured it was worth more than the 3 dollars I paid.Thanks for setting up this blog, Mark
jill
My daughter gave me this pan for Christmas. She was amazed when I showed her this website. She bought mine for $10 at a shop. The owner had no idea what the side vents were for. We thought they were for knives and were happy to have it verified. Thanks for sharing.
Phill
I have the exact same cake pan that was my grandmother’s. I too also love this pan. I also have a square angelfood cake pan that was hers. I am so glad that I still have these. I have asked my cousins if they would like them but all have said no. They prefer the newer cake pans. Too bad for them.
chauncey
we have the large one and also the small one. swansdown also made a spatula with their name on the handle.
Kate A
Interesting info. The one I own says: Pat.Appld.For
So I wonder how old it is…..
I bought it in Carson City, NV @ a yard sale & it came w/a great stand.
My daughter loves to bake, so she’ll be next in line to own it :)