We love the look (and effortlessness) of a beautiful Bundt cake. They are such a quick, easy, show stopping dessert when done right. But there is nothing worse than turning out a Bundt only to discover half the cake is still stuck inside the pan. Gah! No! How can you stop this from happening? You have to prepare Bundt pans the right way.
Why Prepare a Bundt?
Have you seen our selection of Bundt pans from Nordic Ware? Freaking gorgeous! There are just so many pans and so little time! The patterns are intricate and diverse, and don’t even try asking us to pick a favorite. But man, all those nooks and crannies can make baking with a Bundt pan super tricky and intimidating. There are way too many places where the cake can get stuck, break apart, and ruin the entire presentation. We won’t let this happen to you! Here are the two fail-safe methods we recommend for getting the perfect turn out every, single, time.
Baker’s Joy for Lighter Cakes
Our go-to product for preparing cake pans is Baker’s Joy. It is the perfect combination of oil and flour, all wrapped up in an easy to use spray. The flour provides some grip for the cake so it can rise evenly. And the trick is to apply an even amount of the coating on all surfaces and follow up with a pastry brush to get the baking spray into every nook and cranny. You don’t need to use too much and you want to make sure you spray right before you put the batter into the pan. The result is a smooth, evenly browned surface with fewer bubbles. And if you want a matte finish, you can use the Baker’s Joy and then coat with a light dusting of extra flour for the prefect finish.
Cocoa Powder Pan Release for Darker Cakes
So what can you do to prepare Bundt pans for darker cakes? Because of the flour, Baker’s Joy will leave a white film on the outside edges of darker cakes. So what can you do? Here is the “goop” that works like a charm. With a hand mixer combine 7 oz. vegetable shortening, 7.5 oz. vegetable oil, 2 oz. all purpose flour, and 3 oz. cocoa powder. Then use a pastry brush to apply the mixture to the sides and the tube of the Bundt pan (but not too much!). Coating with unsweetened cocoa powder works just like flour, creating a barrier for the batter to stick to instead of sticking to the pan. And the darker coloring will blend seamlessly with the darker cake batter for that perfect, naked finish.
We tested out a bunch of different ways to prepare Bundt pans, and these two ended up being some of the best options. After they cooled, our cakes came out complete and with little fuss. Want to see our results from the test kitchen on preparing a Bundt pan? Check out this post.
