Cookware Center

We in general think of baking a round cake in a metal pan, but round glass baking dishes in Pyrex were also made in the 1950s and 1960s. Look for the Pyrex, Anchor Hocking or similar marks in the center underneath.

These dishes work rather well for upside down cakes, coffee cake and similar, single layer cakes that are practical and economical snacks and quick lunch accompaniments.

And they are deep sufficient to use for a deep-dish pie if you like. These baking dishes would likewise be handy for roasting vegetables in pinch, if you are only doing a little amount and want to make best use of your oven space.

We have seen them in clear glass, in plain white glass, and in white with used color on the outside, such as flamingo pink. The handles make them easy to move when they are hot. They wash well (hand wash only, please, to preserve the condition and shine).

Baking spray works well to prepare these dishes for baking, but we commend wiping the excess off before you place in the oven. That way the cleaning will be easy.

Pineapple Cherry Upside Down Cake

Try this with dried Michigan cherries and serve warm, with a side of ice cream or a dollop of whipping cream.

1 20-oz. may crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1/3 c. vegetable shortening

3/4 c. granulated white sugar

1 egg

1/2 c. milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray or butter to coat a 9x9x2 inch square pan, or 9-inch round baking dish.
• Mix pineapple, cherries and brown sugar. Spread in the bottom of the baking pan.
• In a distinguished bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Cream shortening and 3/4 c. sugar. Add egg and beat well.
• Combine milk and vanilla in another bowl.
• Alternately add arid mixture and milk mixture to creamed mixture, mixing exhaustively after each addition. Pour batter conservatively into pan over blueberry mixture.
• Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until toothpick or cake tester shows done. Cool in pan for 30 minutes, then invert onto serving dish. Serve warm with ice cream, whipped cream or topping. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Serve this cake on your vintage dinnerware set, using salad or dessert plates. This will concede a great deal of space for a generous slice of cake and the topping. Make two cakes, so you will have galore for snacks, too.

Vintage Pyrex ovenware is still practical today. Using your cake dishes to bake a tasty treat will have your family and friends coming back for seconds.

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Most helpful customer reviews

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful.
Best cookware ever made!
By Cheryle
My mom got this as a wedding present in the early 1940′s. She was never a good cook, so I have been using it since the ’60′s. I stole some of her pieces when I married, but returned them when I found them for sale again. I purchased my first piece, a chicken frier, for about $25.00 in 1970, which was a huge price back then, and couldn’t wait to get my hands on more. I bought a starter set of 8 pieces a few years later when I finally saw it again, and it forms the basis of my extensive cookware collection. I have been called the “Greatest cooker on earth” by many men, and I attribute some of the praise to this cookware.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
Made in China
By C. Thompson
The originals were made in USA – I almost bought a new set intil I realized these are not the same materials or sizes.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful.
Not what I expected
By Owen P. Pellegrin
My mother has used Magnalite professional for 20+ years now and it’s still as good as the day she got it. Magnalite classic is completely different, and apparently fussy to care for.

If you read comments and do your research, you’ll find that this is *not* the original Magnalite formula. The way I understand it, one company (World Kitchen) owns the name “Magnalite”, and a separate company (American Culinary) owns the formula to both the classic and professional materials. This “Magnalite Classic” is manufactured in China, and doesn’t live up to many of its claims.

I was excited to receive this set as a wedding gift because my mother’s set of Magnalite Pro is decades old and fantastic. Nothing has ever stuck to her pots and pans, and it’s convenient to be able to wash them in the dishwasher. I noticed this was different because it was heavier, but a glance at the care guide didn’t seem to indicate anything odd. It was interesting that the instructions claimed I *might* have to season it if food stuck to it. Boy, did it ever. I tried frying some breakfast sausage and had to scrape the patties off of the skillet; it’s still got round stains where each sausage laid. My wife decided maybe I did something wrong and cooked some soup in the saucepan; now the entire saucepan is stained from the soup.

Nowhere in the care instructions was it mentioned *how* you should season the cookware. Nowhere on the manufacturer’s web site does it explain how you should season the cookware. I immediately emailed the manufacturer about my negative experience and asked for instructions for seasoning the cookware. That was a year ago, and I never heard back. I’m about to try seasoning it like a cast iron skillet; if it damages it I won’t be any worse off than I already am. I see a reviewer has left instructions to use a low heat for 8 hours; should I have to turn to Amazon.com for instructions? Can I trust this reviewer?

I’m sure the cast aluminum is really good; our apartment stove is cruddy and the elements are uneven. This heavy cookware would do wonders for us if food didn’t stick to it like gum to shoes. I am unable to use it because the manufacturer does not include adequate care instructions and obviously has no desire to resolve issues with customers.

I’d strongly recommend looking for American Culinary’s professional line if you’re looking for cookware like this. It seems comparable in price, and looks exactly like my mother’s Magnalite professional (down to the lids.) I would not recommend this Magnalite Classic to anyone, unless somehow the manufacturer decides to bless us with information about how to properly care for it.

See all 33 customer reviews…