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When you’ve invested a full mixing bowl’s worth of ingredients to make a Bundt cake, you want it to turn out blemish-free. (At least I do.) There’s no point in going through all the effort of sourcing, mixing, baking, and waiting, only to realize that the fruits of my labor are stuck to the pan. This has happened to me more times that I can count — that is, it used to, before I stumbled upon the secret to a perfect Bundt cake exterior.
One fateful day, while shopping at Williams Sonoma, I uncovered a canister of Bak-klene ZT Pan Spray, tucked away in a dark corner. The label on the vintage-looking can shows off a stunning array of baked goods, including a wonderfully intricate Bundt cake and several other loaves of bread — evidence of the possibilities that lie within.
The true secret to this spray lies in one special ingredient: wheat starch. When combined with the oils and propellant, the wheat starch is what sets this spray apart from the competition. Note: This means Bak-klene ZT Pan Spray is not gluten-free.
When putting this can to action, I like to work quickly and with intention. I shake the can “well and often during use” and resist the urge to spray a heavy coating — in my experience a little spray goes a long way. When it’s time for that tricky last step of baking (the pray and release), this spray has never let me down. I’ve made crispy, caramelized palmiers and loads of classic Bundt cakes, with perfect release every time.
While parchment paper and silicone baking sheets will always have a place in my home kitchen, I am confident that this phenomenal bottle of pan spray is definitely worth the 10-dollar price tag.
A word to the wise: Keep the cap. The small nozzle of the bottle is delicate and won’t survive a fall off the countertop (which, again, I know from experience). You’ll thank yourself the first time it scatters across the kitchen floor.
Store the spray in the pantry, do not refrigerate. As you can see in the photo above, I have, at minimum, three bottles of this super stuff on hand at any given moment. (I’m a big baker, what can I say?) And if you want perfect Bundts every time, you should too.
What’s your secret baking weapon?