I was going through my kitchen cabinets the other day and found my lost bundt pan. Well, lost is probably pushing it. Let’s just say it was misplaced and forgotten for a few years.
A Bundt cake is a cake baked in a distinctive ring-shaped mold with a central tube, which ensures even baking, especially for dense batters. Its history is a blend of European tradition and mid-century American marketing.
In the late 1940s, members of the Hadassah Society, a Jewish women’s service organization in Minneapolis, approached Dalquist to create a lighter, more durable version of the heavy ceramic or cast-iron pans used in Europe. The pan’s design was inspired by the Gugelhupf (or Kugelhopf), a traditional ring-shaped yeast cake popular in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Dalquist adapted the name from the German word Bund, which means “gathering,” “group,” or “bond”. There are two main theories why he added the “t” to the name. One, to create a unique, brandable term that he could trademark. And two, to distance the product from the German-American Bund, a pro-Nazi organization from the late 1930s.
He made enough for the ladies’ group and sold the extra pans in a store for $4.00. The pan was initially a slow seller and nearly discontinued until several key events turned it into a household staple. Considered a novelty pan most people did not want to bake a cake with a hole in the center.
In 1963, it was featured in The New Good Housekeeping Cookbook, which gave it its first significant boost in visibility. In 1966, the “Tunnel of Fudge” cake, baked in a Bundt pan by Ella Helfrich, won second place in the Pillsbury Bake-Off. This sparked a nationwide craze, leading to over 200,000 requests for the pan. No one remembers the first-place recipe, Golden Gate Snack Bread.
Then in the 1970’s, Nordic Ware and Pillsbury collaborated to sell cake mixes specifically for the pan, cementing its place in American kitchens. Today, the original Bundt pan is recognized as an American icon and is held in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Now, Nordic Ware proudly makes 50+ Bundt Pans and variations at their Minneapolis Factory in sizes from a full bundt cake to cupcake size bundts.
The hardest part of using a bundt pan is getting the cake out after it is baked. 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. Greasing the pan is key.
Start with shortening. 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.
For pans with intricate designs, a baking spray works well to get into all the nooks and crannies. Spray just before putting the batter in the pan, and spray thoroughly but not too heavily. Use a pastry brush to evenly coat the pan and all the details. For cakes with a darker exterior like chocolate, dust with cocoa powder.
Here are 3 of the many bundt pan recipes I found. The chicken one is really good.
Butterscotch Pound Bundt Cake
Ingredients
• 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons half & half, or milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Heat oven to 325° F. Grease and flour pan. In large mixing bowl, mix sugar, sour cream, butter and egg; mix well. Add all remaining cake ingredients except chips. Beat on medium speed about 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon 1/3 of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle half of the chips over the batter, being careful not to let them touch the sides of the pan. Spoon half of the remaining batter over the chips; sprinkle with remaining chips. Spoon remaining batter over chips. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of the cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.
To make glaze, in medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together butter, brown sugar and half and half. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla; mix until smooth. If needed, add additional milk until desired consistency. Spoon the warm glaze over warm cake. 16 servings.
Bundt® Pan Roasted Chicken & Vegetables
Ingredients
Chicken and Vegetables:
• 3 1/2 to 4 lb. whole chicken, rinsed and patted very dry inside and out (any giblets and packets removed)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 springs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 lemon, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, 2 cloves minced and 2 cloves smashed, but left whole
• 18-20 baby red potatoes, washed and cut in half
• 1/2 medium onion, cut into large chunks
• 5-6 whole carrots, peeled and cut into 1” chunks
Chicken Rub:
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons dry ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 smoked paprika
Directions
Fold a 6” strip of aluminum foil in half and place it over the center cone of the Bundt. Spray the inside of the entire Bundt pan and the aluminum covered cone with baking spray. Salt and pepper the cavity of the chicken. Into the cavity, place 2 springs each fresh thyme and rosemary, half the lemon, cut in two, and the two smashed cloves of garlic. In a medium bowl, combine the baby potatoes, onion and carrot, minced garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to the bottom of the Bundt pan and top with 2 thyme sprigs, 2 rosemary sprigs and slices of the remaining lemon half. With a knife or kitchen shears, cut a 4” slit along one side of the backbone of the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, ranch seasoning mix, pepper and paprika. Rub all over the chicken and then carefully place the chicken, legs down, over the cone of the Bundt. Tilt the chicken back along the slit in the backbone and prop the legs and thighs up on the vegetables. Remove all of the racks but the lowest one from the oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Bake for 1 hour or until a thermometer reads 165°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh. Remove to cutting board and rest, covered in foil for 10 minutes. If vegetables are not done, return to oven for another 6-8 minutes until tender. Carefully remove vegetables and serve with chicken.
Breakfast Biscuit Bundt Cake
Servings: 8
Ingredients
• cooking spray
• 6 slices bacon
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 cups packed baby spinach
• 12 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 teaspoons bottled hot pepper sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (16.3-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits (such as Pillsbury Grands), quartered
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes
Directions
Gather all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease a 10-inch nonstick Bundt® pan with the cooking spray. Cook bacon in an extra-large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, crumble bacon. Drain all but 1 tablespoon bacon drippings from the skillet. Add onion and bell pepper to the skillet. Cook and stir until tender, about 4 minutes. Add spinach. Cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Whisk together eggs, milk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add bacon, cooked vegetables, biscuit pieces, cheese, and hash browns to the bowl; toss to combine. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Cover the pan with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes more (Internal temperature should be 195 to 200 degrees F (91 to 93 degrees C) . Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully run a thin silicone spatula around the edges and middle of the Bundt cake taking care to make sure the cake will release easily from the pan. Invert cake onto a platter for serving. If pieces of the crust stick to the pan, simply remove them with your spatula and place on cake.
