Be sure to use a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan underneath for stability and ease of transport.

Google what you are asking here and it might help. Also if I remember there is or was a magazine called Canadian Living. Maybe if you went to there website, or even Food Network website.

Sounds counter-productive, but I spray the pans with a cooking spray. Things were rising quite as much in the silicone. I don't remember what it was that set me to thinking, but I finally came to the conclusion that they was nothing for the batter to "grab" on to. Once I started to use spray, that fixed the problem.

As Fun2B pointed out, make sure you place a pan or cooling rack, or something study under the silicone before filling. Otherwise you will not be able to get the pan to the oven without a major disaster.

Be sure to read and follow the instructions that came with the pans. The ones I have say NOT to place them on cookie sheets when baking. And they also say to NEVER use cooking spray. That's generally a good way to ruin any pan--metal or silicone, because it leaves residue behind that eventually builds up and destroys the surface.

Don't expect a nice crust on your baked goods. Don't expect the pan to really be non-stick--I've never had any pan stick as much as those darned silicone things do.

Some people (I'm one) notice a distinct silicone taste in food cooked in them, as well.

I'm not a fan as you can tell. But I have found a way to use mine. I put muffin liners in the muffin pan and use it to bake individual cheesecakes in the microwave.

I hope you like yours better than I liked mine. I got rid of them after first thinking they were such a great idea. I was soooo glad I had not thrown out my old muffin pans. I can't imagine not putting the silicone "bakewear" on a baking sheet...especially muffin tins. They have no sturdiness to keep them on an oven shelf. I found them hard to clean up, also.

I've used Silicone bakeware for years, and found some brands have the problems described (like Kitchenaid).
Good silicone bakeware can be folded. The stiffer the pan, the worse it is.
I do put my silicone bakeware on a cooling rack before putting into the oven - for stability.

I also use a very light spray of cooking oil, but the best stuff (I forget the brand, it's not made in the US and is black.) needs no oil applied.

thank you all! experiments ahead,I can see ;)

Monica - can you find the better spray in the supermarket? I'll check Shop Rite and Wegman's the next time I go there - and maybe even Whole Foods.

Since the spray causes gunk to build up like on non-stick cookware, I'd use the Better than Pam goop.

I had some for a while too and Freecycled them. Hated it.

Mare, I was speaking of better silicone product pan, not better spray.
I still cannot remember brand, not made in USA, and I bought it at a local gourmet cooking specialty store in Skippack,pa.

My only suggestion as to using the commonly sold molds, is to spray very lightly.

Thanks Monica - I just went back and read your post - I completely misread that sentence. Thanks for the correction - that will save me from hunting for the black can of spray oil!

Somebody just posted a set of silicone bakeware on Freecycle to give away. They didn't care for it at all.

The Wilton Molds are good.
The more flexible the mold, the better.

Silicone is just a material. Like all cookware, the quality of the material, be it aluminum/steel/silicone, etc. varies greatly in the marketplace.

all very interesting-I s'pose the good thing is that it is extremely bendable(good thing?) and appears to be darker,not quite black,but darker. Heres hoping

I love using my silicone muffin pan for freezing soups or sauces in. Makes perfect single size portions, then I remove them from the pan and put them in ziplocks. I also like making no bake cookies in them.