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Easy Tips for Making The Perfect Bundt Cake

By Fiona

on Jul 27, 2019, Updated May 13, 2024

Today I’m sharing all my tips and tricks for making the perfect bundt cake – including the dreaded task of how to get your bundt cake out of the pan, and common pitfalls. 

So first things first, what exactly is a bundt cake? A bundt cake is any cake baked in a bundt pan. The pan gives the cake a distinctive ring shape with a hole in the middle. A bundt pan can be fluted or come in a variety of designs. A bundt cake can also come in a variety of flavors, and is typically more dense in texture in order to hold the shape of the pan. They can be frosted, glazed or simply dusted with powdered sugar.

Choosing the Right Bundt Pan

There are actually 2 main sizes of bundt pans: 10-cup capacity pans, and 12-cup capacity pans. The capacity means how many cups of water will fill the pan to the very top, not how much batter you should bake in the pan.

I always recommend choosing a light-colored bundt pan because it minimizes the risk of the edges over-browning/burning. Use a non-stick bundt pan that’s in good shape (ie – without scratches or part of the coating peeling off).

The more intricate your bundt pan is – the more challenging it is for the cake to release from the pan. I therefore always recommend first trying a recipe in a simple, fluted bundt cake before trying to use an intricate bundt pan.

How to Get a Bundt Cake out of the Pan

Greasing The Bundt Pan

There are 2 main ways to grease a bundt pan: #1 greasing and flouring, or #2 using pan release. Even if your bundt pan is labeled non-stick, always grease the pan before baking.

Method #1: Grease & Four

• Grease the pan generously with either butter or shortening going up the sides.
• Sprinkle 1 -2 teaspoons of flour into the pan. (Or if you’re making a chocolate bundt cake, use cocoa powder).
• Shake the pan so that the flour covers the entire inside.
• Make sure to get into all the creases so that it’s well coated.
• Shake out the excess flour.

*Sometimes greasing and flouring the pan can leave a residue of flour on the cake. Therefore, I prefer using pan release.

Method #2: Use Pan Release

You can either buy pan release at a cake supply store (also called Bakers Spray), or make your own.

• To make your own pan release, beat together 1 part shortening, 1 part flour and 1 part vegetable oil. I got this recipe from I Am Baker – and it works like a charm.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the inside of the bundt pan with pan release making sure to cover all the sides and into all the creases. 

You can store leftover pan release in a jar in your pantry for the next time you’re making a cake.

Inverting the Bundt Cake

After the cake comes out of the oven:

• Cool the cake for 15-30 minutes in the bundt pan on a wire rack.
• Then carefully invert the cake pan, and let the bundt slide out.
• You can also gently pry the cake out of the pan using a thin knife if necessary.

**Do not try to invert the cake immediately after it comes out of the oven – otherwise, the cake won’t hold its shape.

Can I Bake Any Cake Recipe in a Bundt Pan?

Not every cake recipe can be baked in a bundt pan. Typically speaking, bundt cakes are denser in texture without being overly gooey. This allows the cake to hold its shape, and slide out of the pan more easily. I therefore only recommend trying to bake a cake recipe in a bundt pan if the recipe offers this suggestion.

Typically a 9×13 inch cake recipe is enough batter for a 10-cup capacity bundt pan.

How to Freeze a Bundt Cake

As always, unfrosted cakes freeze best.

1. Cool the cake fully – inserting the cake and letting it slide out of the pan after about 15 minutes.
2. Once the cake is 100% cooled, wrap plastic wrap around the cake – going around the ring shape.
3. Wrap at least twice to ensure no gaps.
4. Place the wrapped cake in a large freezer-safe container, or wrap the entire cake with aluminum foil.
5. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge before decorating.

Love Bundt Cakes? Here’s a few of my favorite recipes:

• Lemon Bundt Cake
• Banana Bundt Cake
• Cream Cheese Pound Cake
• Chocolate Bundt Cake