You use a dark pan for baking

THE RESULT: A too-brown cake.

THE FIX: A darker pan absorbs and retains more heat, causing the exterior of the cake to brown (or burn) before the inside is done. But you don’t have to ditch your dark pans. The trick to evening the playing field is adjusting the oven temperature. If you bake in either dark metal pans or glass dishes, reduce the oven temperature by 25° and check for doneness early. Lighter-colored aluminum pans with a dull finish are ideal for baking since they absorb and conduct heat evenly.