There aren 't many baking pans that I would consider a necessity but this is one of them. The "#1" pan can be used for so many different things from cakes to brownies and if you are daring enough, a very interesting gelatin mold. The first time I used this for gelatin I loaded it up with fruit and no one even noticed that it was the shape of a number. You live, you learn, you lay off the fruit. If you can mix up a box of cake batter, set a timer and spread on some icing you can make this cake for