From vanilla pound cake to blueberry coffee cake, bundt pans are a baking essential. These unique pans have fluted sides and an inner tube that give these cakes their signature look. Keep reading to learn the answer to the question "what is a bundt pan?" and find the best ways to use one.

What Is a Bundt Pan?

Bundt pans were invented in the 1950's and quickly became a bakeware staple. While bundt pans are a relatively new invention, the round cakes that inspired the pans have a long history in Eastern-European baked goods.

The signature fluted sides and tube in the center create more contact between the cake and the pan, which allows the heat to transfer evenly and helps the cake bake more consistently. This specialized shape prevents the cake from being underbaked in the center or burnt on the edges. The fluted sides also give bundt cakes a sculptural shape and decorative flair that doesn't require much more decorating.

Tip!

Dark-coloured bundt pans are more prone to over-browning cakes, while light-coloured bundt pans are less likely to over-brown cakes, so it's best to use a light-coloured pan to bake delicate desserts like angel food cake.

What Is a Bundt Pan Used for?

Bundt pans are used to give bundt cakes their signature look. You can try an endless variety of bundt cake recipes, and these pans also come in plenty of different sizes to suit the occasion. Try baking a tray full of bite-sized cinnamon coffee cakes to pair with your at-home coffee bar, or serve up a deliciously festive bundt cake at your next holiday party. Bonus points for holiday-themed recipes like an orange-cranberry bundt cake or a rich red velvet with cream cheese icing.

Tip!

You can even get more creative with your bundt pan! Use your bundt pan to bake warm and gooey monkey bread, or fill the pan with water and freeze to create an ice cube large enough to keep a punch bowl cold.

Tube Pan vs. Bundt Pan

When shopping for a bundt pan, you might come across a similar style of pan. Tube pans feature the inner tube like bundt pans, but have straight sides rather than fluted sides. They also often have detachable sides or bottom to allow you to more easily remove delicate cakes, such as angel food cake or chiffon cakes. To help you decide between a tube pan vs. a bundt pan, consider which type of desserts you're planning on baking.

Additional Bundt Pan Considerations

When choosing a bundt pan, there are a few things to consider:

Nonstick: A nonstick coating can help you remove your bundt cake without having to worry about the cake sticking to the inside surface.

Dishwasher-Safe: Make cleanup even easier with a dishwasher-safe bundt pan. Simply place the bundt pan in the dishwasher for a fuss-free clean.

Specialty Size: Bake miniature bundt pans with a specialty cake pan. These cupcake-like pans have small bundt-shaped wells that are perfect for dressing up a pound cake, brownie, or coffee cake.

Tip!

Looking for more baking essentials? Check out our guide 9 Baking Essentials for Every Baker to find our list of kitchen must-haves, including measuring cups, mixing bowls, and wooden spoons.