Ah, the Bundt pan. I use mine quite a bit. We have a family tradition of celebrating half birthdays. On your half birthday, you get half of a cake—and it’s typically a Bundt cake, half of a Bundt cake to be exact. It’s a tradition in our family and one I’ve foisted upon some friends, so I make their cakes, too.
There are a few secrets to making a successful Bundt cake. I’m sure there are worse things, but discovering that your cake will not come out of the pan feels like the worst feeling in the world at that moment.
You’ve heard that expression, “to within an inch of its life?” This pops into my head every time I make a Bundt cake, except it’s “grease the pan to within a millimeter of its life.” OK, that makes no sense, but you catch my drift. Greasing the pan is key.
Start with shortening and a paper towel. I always use shortening. Not butter, not spray. Shortening. It works. Use a paper towel to wipe a thin layer of shortening onto every bit of the pan.
Because Bundt pans are so detailed with lots of creases and scallops and curves, go back over the pan with a pastry brush. Brush the shortening into every little space.
Once that looks like it’s covered, spoon some flour into the pan and spin the pan around, tapping as you go to distribute the flour. I like to do this over the sink or a trash can. You may have to add a few spoonfuls of flour as you go to get the entire pan. Tap out the excess.
Take a good look at the pan. If you notice any areas, no matter how small, that are not greased and floured, use the pastry brush to apply shortening, coat with flour, and tap out the excess. Don’t skip this part. That little ungreased area will be where your cake will stick and tear if not coated.
Once your cake is baked, you’ll want to get it out of the pan fairly quickly. Remove the cake from the oven and set a timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, place a wire cooling rack upside-down on the exposed side of the cake.
Use oven mitts to hold the pan and cooling rack together as you invert the pan onto the rack. The pan should now be right-side up.
You may hear the cake release. That’s good. If not, let the cake sit for one minute, letting gravity do its work. Lift the pan off the cake. It should release cleanly. If it’s stubborn, once again use the oven mitts to hold the pan and the wire rack together. Give it a few hard shakes in a downward motion. Give the cake another minute and try again.
If your cake is really stubborn—this can happen based on the recipe—flip the cake back over and slide a thin knife around the edges. Invert again.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
To frost or ice a Bundt cake set the wire rack with the cake on it onto a rimmed cookie sheet. This will catch any drips and make for easy clean-up. I highly recommend scraping the excess frosting with a fork and “testing” it before cleaning the pan. Perks of being the baker!
Moving a Bundt cake can be a scary prospect, so let me show you the greatest gift my mother-in-law has given me (other than my husband): this cake lifter spatula! It’s big enough and study enough to pick up an entire cake.
I mentioned earlier about making half birthday cakes. I use these half cake boxes to deliver them, but they’re also perfect for sharing cake with neighbors or taking to the office. Your grocery store bakery department might sell a few to you, but I’ve found them online and like having a stash at the ready.
Oh! I can’t leave you without some Bundt cake recipes!
- Christmas Rum Cake
- Meyer Lemon, Ginger, and Turmeric Cake
- Coconut Cream Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
- Apple Bundt Cake with Brown Butter-Vanilla Bean Glaze
- Lemon Lime Pound Cake
- Pistachio Cake
- Carrot Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
Who loves a Bundt cake?
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