Tuesday, 17th November 2009

How to Bake the Perfect Bundt Cake with Nordic Ware

You don’t have to be a culinary expert to bake a perfect Bundt cake or bake in any of the various Nordic Ware shaped pans. You just need the proper tools and the inside know-how! Say goodbye to cake sticking to the sides of the pan and hello to the many “oohs” and “ahhs” you’ll get when presenting your work of art to guests or to the kids!

Helpful Hints & Tips for fail-safe results . . . . .

1. Prepare your tin.
Take a pastry brush and brush the pan inside preferably with melted butter (not margarine), working it into all the grooves of the pan. You can use oil as an alternative too, and dust with flour depending on what type of cake you are making, but we have found the best results are achieved with just butter.

2. Avoid bubbles in the cake mix.
To prevent air bubbles in the cake, slowly pour the cake mix into one corner of the pan and allow the mixture to flow in and around the cake tin. Gently tap the filled cake tin on the work top for a while; this will make the air bubbles/pockets rise up and away from the outside of the cake, and allow the cake mix to settle into all the details.

3. Showcase the details using a spatula.
Fill the pan about ¾ full to avoid overflow. With a spatula, push the mixture to the outside of the pan and the inside up the flute, pushing up the walls to the top; this will help the cake climb up the sides, giving you greater detail on the outside of the cake.

4. Bake and then cool for 10 minutes before inverting.
Place the pan on the centre shelf of the oven. Bake for time indicated then remove from oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes (no less, no longer). This will allow a moisture barrier to build up between the pan and the cake. If you’re not sure if the cake is ready, we recommend you use a Nordic Ware Perfect Cake Tester with its colour change tip to indicate whether it is fully cooked. (Ask your Nordic Ware retailer for more details or visit www.nordicware.com). With oven gloves pick up the cake pan and gently shake the pan from side to side listening for thumping. (This indicates the cake is loose and ready to invert.) A plastic knife may be used to carefully loosen the cake around the centre tube and sides if sticking persists.

Never use metal utensils in any non-stick cake tin or it will scratch!

5. Invert, continue cooling and dust or drizzle.

Turn the cake out on to a plate or cooling rack and continue to cool. Dust with icing sugar using a sifter, drizzle your favourite sauce on top or use icing pens to highlight the detail and add decorations. ENJOY!

These cake pans work particularly well with denser cake mixes, i.e. Madeira, Chocolate or fruit cakes etc. because fewer bubbles mean more detail! Although particularly suitable for baking cakes in, the Nordicware Bundt baking pans are also perfect for creating amazing Jellies (but remember to just use ½ the amount of water that it recommends on the packet of jelly cubes), Mousses, Chocolates, Savoury breads even fruit filled Ice Sculptures!

REMEMBER – You are only limited by your imagination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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