No, these aren’t ice cream cones—they’re Ice Cream Cone Bundt Cupcakes. The “ice cream” is the frosting on the cupcake. Photography courtesy Nordicware. WHAT IT IS: Gourmet cake mixes and decorative Bundt cake pans. WHY IT’S DIFFERENT: The gourmet cake mixes have not one-dimensional flavors, but complex elements. Combined with the festive new Bundt pan designs, edible masterpieces can be made by anyone. WHY WE LOVE IT: It couldn’t be easier to make something this impressive. (That’s what specialty food is all about!) WHERE TO BUY IT: NordicWare.com.

Nordicware Bundt Cakes Page 4: Bundt Cake Tips   This is Page 4 of a five-page review. Click on the black links below to visit other pages. INDEX OF REVIEW Page 1: Capsule Report Page 1: Overview Page 2: Bundt Cake Mixes Page 3: Entertaining With Bundt Cakes: A Year Of Holiday Bundt Pans Page 4: Bundt Cake Baking Tips Page 4: Bundt Shopping Information Page 5: The History Of The Bundt Pan MORE TO DISCOVER Other Top Pick Of The Week Cakes THE NIBBLE’s Gourmet Cakes Section THE NIBBLE’s Cake Glossary: The Different Types Of Cakes Read our daily posts on Blog.TheNibble.com. Follow us on Twitter. All of the Top Picks Of The Week are permanently archived on TheNibble.com in chronological order and by product category.

Bundt Cake Baking Tips

People love Bundts, not just because the recipes are so moist and tasty, but because they are so impressive yet easy-to-make. Still, nothing is foolproof, especially with the more complex designs where some people have been challenged with cake stuck in the pan (we had no problem in all of our our testing except the one time we failed to use Bakers Joy or flour). Nordic Ware advises that you just need the proper tools plus these tips to avoid having your cake stuck to the sides of the pan:

• Use the proper cooking spray. Spray the pan with a non-stick vegetable oil. A non-stick spray such as Bakers Joy, which contains flour, is highly recommended. After spraying, take a pastry brush and brush the oil into the grooves of the pan; then turn the pan upside down on a paper towel, allowing the excess oil to drain away. Avoid using a spray with lecithin listed as an ingredient, since a gummy residue can build up over time.
• Alternatively, brush the pan with a solid vegetable shortening. Dust lightly with flour. Briskly tap the pan several times with the palms of your hands to distribute the flour evenly and then turn pan upside down over a sink to remove excess flour (for superb detail, Wondra flour works best).
• Or try this trick: Use a pastry brush to butter the pan, getting into all the grooves. Then, dust with fine dry bread crumbs (use a food processor if you need finer crumbs than what you have). The bread crumbs provide a more effective barrier than flour.
• Avoid bubbles in the batter. To prevent air bubbles in the cake, slowly pour in the batter at one corner of the pan. Allow it to slowly flow in and around the Bundt design. Gently tap the filled cake pan on the counter a few times. This will make the air bubbles or pockets rise up and away from the outside of the cake.
• Showcase the details using a spatula. Mixes and recipes may vary, so fill the pan about 3/4 full to avoid overflow. With a spatula, move the batter to the outside of the pan, pushing it slightly up the walls. This will help the cake climb up the sides, giving you greater detail on the outside of the cake.
• Bake and then cool for 10 minutes before inverting. Place the pan on the center rack of the oven. Black or dark-colored pans require a 25°F heat reduction from the recommended oven temperature. Bake for the time indicated and cool 10 minutes—no less, no longer. With hot pads, pick up the cake pan and gently shake the pan from side to side listening for thumping. This indicates cake is loose and ready to invert. Use a plastic knife to carefully loosen the cake around the center tube and sides if sticking persists.
• Invert, continue cooling and dust or drizzle. Invert on plate or cooling rack; continue to cool. Dust with powdered sugar using a sifter or drizzle your favorite sauce on top.
  

Then, prepare to enjoy the compliments as you present your work of art to family and friends. Even better, these cakes are boxed for gift-giving, and there are two holiday packages that combine a Bundt pan with the scrumptious Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake. What a nice gift to give—to people who bake, and to people who don’t. To those who don’t, include a note that says you’ll come over to bake it with them. It gives you quality time together, and you may just convert a non-cook (or a young person) into a baking enthusiast. That’s a holiday gift for a lifetime!

—Karen Hochman

Continue To Page 5: Bundt Pan History

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FORWARD THIS NIBBLE to anyone who loves cakes or needs encouragement to bake.

BUNDT CAKE MIXES & PANS CAKE MIXES: Apple Spice, Chocolate Decadence, Chocolate Macaroon Bundt, Cinnamon Streusel, Mocha Latte Coffee Cake, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Tunnel of Fudge OTHER MIXES: Gourmet Brownie, Cranberry/White Chocolate Scone Mixes Per Box Cake Mix, $10.00 Brownie Mix, $7.00 Scone Mix, $8.00 Bundt Cookbooks 3 Cookbooks Are Available $6.00 to $18.00 (free recipes are also available on the website) Bundt Pans $35.00 to $38.00 Sets With Cake Mix, $40.00 Purchase online at NordicWare.com. Products can be found at gourmet and specialty stores across the U.S. and at many department stores. *Prices and product availability are verified at publication but are subject to change. Shipping is additional. These items are offered by a third party and THE NIBBLE has no relationship with them. Purchase information is provided as a reader convenience.

Add one box of gourmet Bundt cake mix to one nifty Bundt pan and voilà—a simple yet magical dessert. Sunflower Cake Pan.

ABOUT THE NIBBLE. THE NIBBLE™, Great Food Finds™, is an online magazine about specialty foods and the gourmet life. It is the only consumer publication and website that focuses on reviewing the best specialty foods and beverages, in every category. The magazine also covers tabletop items, gourmet housewares, and other areas of interest to people who love fine food. This e-mail from the editors features the top food pick of the week. You can read the complete magazine and past issues at TheNibble.com.

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