Do you want to bake a bundt cake but you don’t have the right pan for it? Don’t worry! We have the perfect solution for you. In this helpful guide, we will list down what you can use instead of a bundt pan.
- Tube Pan
- Round Cake Pan
- Springform Pan
- Muffin Pan
- Pie Pan
- Baking Pan
- Loaf Pan
Continue reading to see more information and tips.
Note that most of these alternatives will not give you the decorative top you will find on a bundt pan. If that’s what you really want, we recommend you to buy a regular bundt pan instead. Although, if you want a substitute to just try out new bundt pan recipes such as monkey bread, you are in the right place.
1. Tube Pan
A tube pan is the closest alternative you can use if you don’t have a bundt pan. The center is hollow and the general shape is round. The only difference between the two is that tube pans don’t have the decorative top that bundt pans have, and tube pans are bigger than a regular bundt pan. Tube pans also offer a more even heat induction. Since tube pans are used for sponge cakes, it’s good if you want your cake to have a lighter texture.
If you are going to use a tube pan for a bundt cake, the missing decorative top is a very easy fix. You can carve it out yourself or put some drizzle and toppings and call it a day.
Since the tube pan has a different capacity than a bundt pan, we recommend checking out the measurements before you start. The 10-inch tube pan can accommodate around 16 cups of batter, allowing you to make a larger cake. On the other hand, a regular 10-inch bundt pan can handle 12 cups of batter in total.
2. Round Cake Pan
This substitute has a more crafty feel to it since we are going to make a do-it-yourself bundt pan. To make this alternative bundt pan, you need a round cake pan, an empty can or ramekin to form the hole in the middle of the cake, and something like dried beans or rice to weigh down the can or ramekin so it stays in place during baking.
- First, you need to grease the pan and empty the can or ramekin with butter.
- Be sure to grease it whole so that your cake will not stick when you remove it from the pan.
- Once you greased it, you can now place the empty can or ramekin in the center of the pan and put the rice or dried beans inside the can or ramekin.
- This step is to weigh the center part down so you’ll have a nice round center.
- Put your batter and bake. After that, you can now enjoy your very own bundt cake or whatever recipe you choose.
- Wait for the cake to cool down before removing it from the pan.
To use this hack, make sure you measure out your ingredients properly before baking. If you want to be more adventurous, using a square baking pan might be for you.
3. Springform Pan
You can use a springform pan for its round shape. Springform pan also allows you to have easy removal with its detachable sides.
For your cake to have a clear ring on the center, you can either use a greased mason jar or a ramekin. If you are going to put in icing or decoration and don’t mind a cut in the middle, you can carve out a hole using a glass or manually cut it with a knife.
4. Muffin Pan
If you don’t mind trying out the recipe on a smaller scale, a muffin pan might be the best solution for you. Making your cake and bread on a smaller scale can be a good appetizer or dessert.
When using a muffin pan, make sure to grease the pan or put cupcake liners to ensure that there is no sticking.
5. 9-inch Pie Pans
The pie pan is another alternative to use. Since the pie pan is pretty small in terms of height, you can use it by minimizing the amount of batter you will put. Putting a half-inch clearing on the top can give your cake room to rise.
In order for your baked cake to have the conventional ring shape a regular bundt pan has, you can either use a small cake ring, ramekin, or an empty can.
6. Baking Pan
The baking pan is the most affordable and available substitute for a bundt pan. Since most ovens come with a baking pan, if you own an oven you probably have a baking pan as well.
Since the baking pan comes in a variety of sizes and shapes, be sure to measure your ingredients according to the right substitute measurement. Putting a half-inch space at the top after you put in the batter will give room for your bread to rise.
7. Loaf Pan
If you want a substitute with a taller length, the loaf pan is the way to go. Using the loaf pan will also offer you a better heat distribution. Since loaf pans have a bigger size, this alternative will also offer you a bigger serving portion.
Although, if you want the roundness of the other bundt pan alternatives, a loaf pan may not be of help since it comes with a more rectangular shape.
8. Cake Rings
If you opt for a more easy and readily available alternative, cake rings may be the best for you. Cake rings offer the round shape you will find in a bundt pan. It also allows easy removal since cake rings don’t have a bottom part and you can just easily slide it up.
If you want your cakes to have a hollowed center, you can place a smaller cake ring in the center of the larger one in order to give your baked goods a ring-like shape.
If you want to be more crafty, you can even make your very own cake ring molds with just one ingredient: aluminum foil.
With that, you can now choose any of these pans to make your desired baked recipes. If you want to read more about the tips when using bundt pan alternatives, you can continue to read down below.
Tips to Remember When Using Bundt Pan Alternatives
Make Sure to Measure the Ingredients Properly
Since you will use the pans interchangeably, we recommend checking out the proper measurements of the ingredients before baking your recipe.
Baking recipes are made intricate most of the time. The number of ingredients, the size and type of pan, and heat of the oven, this information are very important for a great result. Fortunately, with the help of the internet, a lot of people now offer help and tips when using an alternative pan.
If you want to know more about rules in swapping baking pans click here.
If you want help with measuring ingredients, click here.
Butter is Your Friend
When substituting the ringed center of a bundt pan, whether it be with a mason jar, a ramekin, or an empty can, make sure that you greased it with butter. Trust us, greasing it properly will make your life so much easier. Removing the center will be smooth and will give you good results.
Use a Knife of Other Cutting Tools
If you want to hollow out the center of your cake while using some of these alternatives, cutting the center might be for you. This tip might be good if you are going to put an icing or glaze on top of your cake, although if you are new to the kitchen, doing this might be a bit tricky.
If you want to try this out without using a knife, you can use a glass to scoop out the center.
Do a Lot of Research
Since you are reading this right now, it’s safe to assume that you have internet. Researching a wide range of recipes, hacks, and alternatives will give you a better arsenal when dealing with the kitchen. Researching will also give you a lot of new things to try out, so be sure to use it to better your baking.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try Out New Things
A lot of these recipes and substitutes can be done through trial and error. Make sure to go out of your comfort zone once in a while. You might find hacks and tricks to find a better bundt pan alternative. If you’re looking for some delicious and unique recipes to try with your new bundt pan or its alternative, check out these Bundt Pan Chicken Recipes.
If you want to watch cake hacks to try out, you can watch this video.
Summary
We hope we help you with this guide of what you can use instead of a bundt pan. These alternatives may provide your needs and give you proper results. Although bundt pan is a great addition to anyone’s kitchen, we know that sometimes kitchen tools are not easily available so we hope you can try these alternatives.
If you have more questions and suggestions, you may comment them down below.
Michael Johnson is the founder of Pan Mastery, Inspired by his blacksmith grandfather’s legacy has a deep appreciation for hand-crafted pots and pans, he provides invaluable guides, reviews, and recipes to enhance your culinary journey.
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