I am just learning how to bake breads and cakes.  I was wondering, is there any difference in the performance of pure aluminum vs. aluminized steel cake pans?

TODD:
  Good afternoon & welcome to our culinary club. The thing you should be concerned with is the heavyness of the baking pan. Otherwise the lighter pan may warp on your baked product during baking. Most likely it would be the in~expensive variety. The baked product will bake much better in a sturdy pan. There is a differance in dark pans as opposed to lighter colored pans however.
  Todd, as far as aluminum is concerned “DO NOT WHIP EGG WHITES” in this type of pan. Use Stainless steel or even glass or if you have a copper bowl.
The aluminum taints the color of the whites & are unacceptable this way.
Good luck in your baking projects & enjoy the rest of the day.

  `FRESHKID.

I’m with Freshkid, go for heavier pans. Also, very dark pans will result in more browning around the edges, which most people don’t like on cakes. I’m always puzzled by the flimsy cake pans with the very dark non-stick coatings—why even bother with them? You want sturdy pans with a pale or medium-colored finish.
As far as coatings, I always worry about whether they will wear off, chip, or scratch with use. If they look sturdy, fine!