Tillie Doyle
The Bundt pan is a type of cake mold that was popularized in the 1950s and 1960s by the cookware manufacturer Nordic Ware, who trademarked the name Bundt. The name is derived from the German word bund, which translates to bond or alliance. The distinctive donut-shaped pan is inspired by the traditional European cake known as Gugelhupf, and it has since become a common term to describe any cake with a similar shape. Due to its unique design, the Bundt pan allows for more even heat distribution and is particularly suitable for dense cakes such as coffee cakes and pound cakes. The popularity of the Bundt pan has led to it being capitalized in writing, similar to other brand names like Dumpster and Kleenex.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name origin | The name "Bund" is derived from the German word that translates to "bond" or "alliance" |
| Inventor | H. David Dalquist |
| Company | Nordic Ware |
| Year invented | 1950 |
| Cake type | Dense, ring-shaped cake |
| Pan type | Fluted or grooved sides, usually coated |
| Cake recipes | Coffee cakes, pound cakes, yeast-based cakes, quick breads, and cakes with boxed mixes |
| Not suitable for | Angel food cakes, chiffon cakes, layer cakes, sheet cakes |
| Brand name | Capitalized as "Bundt" |
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What You'll Learn
Bundt Pan History
The Bundt pan is a distinctive donut-shaped cake mold inspired by a traditional European cake known as Gugelhupf. In Germany, Gugelhupf is traditionally known as Bundkuchen, a name formed by joining the words "bund" (meaning "gathering") and "kuchen" (meaning "cake").
The modern Bundt pan was invented in 1950 by H. David Dalquist, the owner of Minnesota's Nordic Ware company. Dalquist was approached by a local group of Minneapolis women who were members of Hadassah, a Jewish women's organization. They asked him to manufacture a cake pan similar to the Gugelhupf pan they used in Europe. Dalquist and company engineer Don Nygren designed a cast aluminum version, which was lighter and conducted heat better than the traditional cast iron Gugelhupf pan.
Initially, the Bundt pan sold poorly, and Nordic Ware considered discontinuing it in the early 1960s. However, it received a boost when it was mentioned in the 1963 New Good Housekeeping Cookbook. The pan became extremely popular in 1966, when a Bundt cake called the "Tunnel of Fudge" took second place at the annual Pillsbury Bake-Off. The resulting publicity led to more than 200,000 requests for Bundt pans and soon made it the most-sold pan in the United States.
Today, Bundt pans are a household staple, with more than 60 million sold by Nordic Ware across North America. The name "Bundt" is trademarked by Nordic Ware, so similar pans are often sold under descriptive titles like "fluted tube pans."
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Uses for a Bundt Pan
Yes, you should capitalize "Bundt pan" as it is a brand name.
Bundt pans are used for baking cakes, especially dense cakes such as coffee cakes, pound cakes, and Bundt cakes. These cakes typically have a distinctive donut shape with fluted sides. The pans are also used for modern cake batters, boxed mixes with baking powder, and gluten-free cakes.
Beyond baking cakes, Bundt pans can be used for:
- Molding gelatin salad, ice cream, and savory dishes like meatloaf. The nooks and crannies created by the pan's shape are great for holding sauces.
- Baking non-cake dishes, such as pizza bread and rolled phyllo dishes like Greek spanakopita.
- Practical, non-cooking purposes, such as a chilling bucket for drinks, a craft caddy for art supplies, or a container for carrying s'mores supplies.
- Preparing food, such as using the center hole to cut corn off the cob and catch the kernels.
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Cakes to Bake in a Bundt Pan
Yes, you should capitalize "Bundt pan" as it is a brand name.
Bundt pans are used to bake modernized cake batters, boxed mixes with baking powder, gelatin salads, ice cream, and even savory molded dishes like meatloaf. The cakes to bake in a Bundt pan are usually dense cakes, such as coffee cakes, pound cakes, and other cakes that will not stick to the fluted sides and will hold the fluted design once baked and removed.
Pound cakes are traditionally dense and were originally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. Recipes have varied, but they are still heavy and very buttery. You can bake a pound cake in a Bundt pan, and it will technically be a Bundt cake.
You can also bake a pistachio Bundt cake, a light, vibrant, and tasty treat. You can garnish it with toppings like chopped pistachios for an elegant dessert. Another cake you can bake in a Bundt pan is a cranberry-orange pound cake.
Generally, if your recipe explicitly names a tube pan, you should use one. A tube pan will have high straight sides, a removable bottom, and feet on its top. Tube pans are meant for very light, delicate cakes like angel food cakes, chiffons, or sponge cakes. You should not substitute a Bundt pan for recipes that call for a tube pan.
However, you can substitute a tube pan for recipes that call for a Bundt pan. You should be able to bake any cake that calls for a Bundt pan in a tube pan quite successfully.
For best results, grease the pan with shortening and dust the inside with flour, tapping away any excess. This will ensure that the Bundt cake comes out of the pan in one piece. A Bundt pan should be filled two-thirds to three-quarters full. Overfilling will create a mess in the oven.
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Cakes Not to Bake in a Bundt Pan
Yes, you should capitalize "Bundt pan" as it is a brand name.
While Bundt pans can be used for a variety of cakes, there are some cakes that are not suitable for baking in a Bundt pan. Firstly, angel food cakes, chiffon cakes, and other very light and delicate cakes are not recommended for Bundt pans. These cakes typically require a tube pan or Angel Food Cake pan, which has high straight sides, a removable bottom, and feet on its top. The unique structure of these pans allows for even baking and easy removal, which is essential for delicate cakes that rely mainly on whipped egg whites for leavening.
Additionally, cakes meant for layer cakes or sheet pans may not yield the best results in a Bundt pan. Due to the deeper shape of Bundt pans, these cakes may turn out denser than intended and have hard edges due to the longer baking time required. If you want to bake a layer cake as a single cake, it is better to use a sheet pan of the appropriate size, even if the final product is not as aesthetically pleasing.
It is important to note that while Bundt pans are versatile and can add a decorative flair to your cakes, following the recommended pan for a specific cake recipe is generally best. Substituting a Bundt pan for a tube pan or a different shaped pan can be successful for some cakes, but it is crucial to consider the unique characteristics of Bundt pans, such as their depth and fluted sides, when making this decision.
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Preparing a Bundt Pan
The Bundt pan, with its distinctive donut shape, requires special preparation to ensure the cake doesn't stick or tear when removed. Firstly, it is important to choose a durable and well-designed pan, preferably made from cast aluminium to limit excess browning.
The next step is to apply a coating to the pan to prevent sticking. This is usually done with a thin coat of fat, such as butter or cooking spray, followed by a thin layer of flour or cocoa powder. Some bakers prefer to use a product called 'pan goo' or a homemade mixture of equal parts fat, butter and flour. This step should be done just before baking to prevent the coating from drying out.
It is important to pay attention to the type of cooking spray used, as aerosolized fat can polymerize and be difficult to remove. Therefore, a cooking spray containing flour, melted butter, or oil applied with a pastry brush is recommended. The coating must be evenly distributed, with no gaps or excess oil, which can pool in the crevices of the pan.
Once the batter is added and the cake is baked, it is important to let the cake cool before removing it from the pan. A gentle tap on the counter can help dislodge the cake, which should then be carefully removed, revealing the distinctive Bundt shape.
Bundt pans are versatile and can be used for cakes, gelatin salads, ice cream, and even savoury dishes like meatloaf. They are well-suited to dense cakes such as coffee cakes and pound cakes, which hold their shape well.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you should capitalize Bundt pan as it is a brand name.
A Bundt pan is a type of cake pan with fluted or grooved sides and a tube in the center. It is used to bake cakes with a distinctive donut shape.
The Bundt pan was invented by H. David Dalquist, the owner of the Minnesota-based company Nordic Ware, in 1950.
