How to Get a Cake Out of a Bundt Pan?

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A Bundt cake is one of those brilliant desserts that require minimal effort but still end up looking like a fancy delicacy.

That rich golden color, beautiful curves, and sharp edges will have everyone raving about it.

But before that, you actually need to know how to get the cake out of the Bundt pan in one piece.

While it can seem like an impossible feat, a little preparation beforehand and a few tricks can make the whole task a piece of cake (no pun intended, of course).

If you want to know how to get a cake out of a Bundt Pan, then follow these steps.

Choose the Right Bundt Pan

If you are wondering how much difference a pan can make, then we’re here to tell you that it can make a world of difference when it comes to getting the bundt cake out of the pan.

Aluminum Pans Give the Best Shape, Color, and Heat

Baking pans are available in various materials, such as metal, glass, silicone, and even stoneware.

While you can use all of these for baking, if you want that Bundt cake to slide out easily and perfectly, metal is the way to go.

More specifically, light aluminum Bundt pans will be perfect for the job as they can conduct heat properly to give you even cooking. They are sturdy enough to hold their shape, which is crucial for a Bundt cake.

light aluminum Bundt pans

What’s more, these bundt pans will give you the exact color you want. Glass and stoneware bundt pans aren’t great heat conductors, so there can be uneven heating that can mess up your cake.

Similarly, silicone molds do make it easy to get the cake out. However, since they are so soft, they might not be able to hold the perfect shape that a Bundt cake requires.

Non-Stick Coating Helps with an Easy Release

If your pan has a non-stick coating, that’s even better. It will prevent the cake batter from sticking too much to the sides of the pan.

This is especially important in a Bundt pan as it has lots of crevices where the cake can get stuck.

The non-stick coating will allow the cake to turn brown evenly and release perfectly in that shape only when you turn it over.

Additionally, the coating also makes it easy to clean the pan afterward, which can be a big headache otherwise.

Other than this, the design and size of the pan are up to you.

Grease the Pan

We know we just said that a non-stick coating helps prevent the cake from sticking to the pan. But you can’t pin all your hopes on it.

This coating can wear down over time, making it less effective. Even if it hasn’t, you shouldn’t take a risk and grease the bundt pan.

Whether you should grease the pan also depends on the recipe itself. Some recipes incorporate beaten egg whites, which actually need the pan’s sides to rise. Greasing in this kind of recipe can do more harm than good.

However, if the recipe uses fats such as butter or oil and leavening agents along with that, greasing the pan won’t stop it from rising.

Now, the only question is, what should you grease the pan with?

Use Butter for a Darker Color

The first option is to use butter to coat the pan. Butter is about 80% fat, which, when it goes into the oven, gives your cake exterior a beautiful brown color.

Moreover, even though you apply only a thin layer, it adds a bit of richness to the taste of the cake as well through its natural flavor.

However, the other 20% of butter is water.

When it goes into the oven, this water can evaporate and leave pockets where the batter can stick to the pan. Therefore, while it does add flavor, it is not as effective as shortening.

Use Shortening to Avoid any Additional Flavor

The other option is to use shortening. This does not impart any flavor to your cake or affect the color. Furthermore, it is 100% fat, so it provides a fool-proof coating over the pan, preventing any batter from sticking.

Therefore, it boils down to your preference. Whatever you decide to use, apply a thin, even layer of it to the entire pan.

Make sure to get all the cracks and crevices around the ring and the sides because the batter will stick to any surface that is not greased. You can use a pastry brush or a paper towel to grease the pan.

Flour the Pan

Is flouring even necessary at this point? Well, no, it’s not necessary.

But remember. We are trying to ensure that your cake comes out of the Bundt pan as smoothly as possible, and flour can help. Dusting flour over the greased pan creates an additional layer between it and the batter.

Therefore, the cake releases much easily.

Moreover, the flour can also act as a barrier to stop the butter or shortening from seeping into your cake, making it oily.

This is especially important when your batter has a high sugar content as that sugar can caramelize with the butter or shortening, making it a little harder to get out.

Use Plain Sifted Flour or Cocoa Powder

Like the grease, you want to apply a thin and even layer of the flour to the pan.

If some places have a thicker layer, it can take longer to brown, giving your cake an uneven coloring. One easy way to do this is to sift the flour before dusting it over the pan.

After adding the flour, keep tilting and rotating the pan till the flour has covered every surface. If you are making a chocolate Bundt cake, we’d suggest switching out the flour for cocoa powder.

The cocoa powder can help your cake retain the chocolate flavor as well as the rich color.

Don’t Forget to Remove the Excess Flour

When adding the flour or cocoa powder, you can use a generous amount at first to make sure to cover everything.

However, don’t forget to get rid of the excess flour, or else it can form an unpleasant layer over the cake and affect the taste.

Once you’re done flouring, simply tap the pan over a plate or your counter a few times to let the extra flour or cocoa powder fall out.

Give the Cake Time to Cool Before Flipping

We know it’s hard to control yourself once the cake is out of the oven, but this part is crucial.

Leave it Out for 10 Minutes

The pan may be out of the oven, but there could still be some heat trapped within the cake. It will also be very soft at this point, increasing the chances of it falling apart.

Therefore, you want to simply leave it out on your counter for a while.

The recipe usually specifies it, but you can let it cool for about ten to twenty minutes. This will give the cake enough time to get firm and contract a little.

Loosen the Cake Before Flipping

After you’ve cooled the cake, don’t flip it right away. Take a knife and carefully run it around the edges of the cake to separate any part that is still stuck.

Make sure you’re careful, or else you could ruin that beautiful Bundt design as well damage your metal pan with the knife.

You can also lightly shake the pan to ensure further that it is loose. After all that, you can flip the pan over a cooling rack, and your Bundt cake should easily come out of the pan.

Also read: How to Remove Cheesecake from a Springform Pan?

What to do If the Cake is Stuck?

If you’ve already baked your cake without doing all this before or overbaked your cake and are looking for a way to salvage it, there are a few ways.

Give it a Few Bangs

It could be that you’ve used something in the cake such as fruits, which are actually sticking to the pan.

Therefore, after you’ve let the cake cool down a little and run a knife along the edges, flip it over a cooling rack or plate, and give the bottom of the pan a few bangs.

A few hits on the bottom and along the sides should cause the cake to release easily. If you don’t see the cake coming out even then, don’t hit it too hard, or else the cake could break and end up coming out in chunks.

Let it Sit Inverted for a While Longer

If that doesn’t work, then just let the inverted pan sit over the rack for a while longer. The cake might contract further as it cools down and comes out on its own.

Keep checking it every ten minutes to see if it has come out.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, you don’t have to stress about it too much. Everyone loves cake, regardless of its shape, size, and color. Even if you don’t manage to get it out perfectly, you can use icing.

You can simply pour a sugar glaze over your cake to cover any small cracks or imperfections. Otherwise, you can also forget the Bundt shape altogether and use the cake pieces to make some amazing cake pops.

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