Best Bundt Cake Pan

Best Non-Stick Fluted Pan: Wilton Perfect Results Premium Non-Stick 9” Fluted Tube Pan

Let’s talk bundt cakes!

What are the best pans to bake a bundt cake? And what is a bundt cake anyway?

Originally from central Europe, a brioche-like cake originally called a Gugelhupf eventually morphed into the bundt cake we know today. In Germany, the word for these doughnut-shaped cakes was Bundkuchen. This was shortened to bundt by the time the cake became popular in the 1960’s, thanks to a “Tunnel of Fudge” cake recipe that won a Pillsbury bake-off in 1966.

FYI: The “Bundt cake pan” is a trademark of Nordic Ware cookware company. That’s why pans for bundt cakes sold by other cookware companies are called fluted tube pans. They are basically the same thing: a ring-shaped pan with scalloped edges.

For the best non-stick fluted pan, we tried out several different brands before picking Wilton’s Perfect Results Non-Stick 9″ Fluted Pan—we’ve had excellent results with this pan, which also is easy on the wallet.

Here’s a look at the Tiger Cake (marble cake) we made to test cake pans for this article:

What We Liked

• Heavy weight.Yes, this pan is made of cold rolled steel.

• No stick surface = easy release of cakes!

• Handles are quite handy.

• Easy to clean.

• Dishwasher safe. The maker recommends hand-washing, however.

• Good size. This pan isn’t too big or too small. Yes, it holds up to 10 cups—since you don’t fill it up to the brim because batter expands, we use this pan for bundt cake recipes that are 8 cups.

What Needs Work

• Outside sometimes cooks faster than interior. Since this is a dark pan, we recommend lowering the required temperature by 25 degrees to prevent this.

• Not made in the USA. 

Best Large Bundt Pan: Nordic Ware ProForm Bundt Pan with Handles, 12 Cup

It’s the O.G. Bundt cake pan: Nordic Ware has been making these pans for since the 1940’s and the experience shows. (FYI: Bundt Cake Pan is a trademark of Nordic Ware).

Here’s what we like about this pan: you don’t have to think about it. It just does its job, time after time. What more can you ask for?

Here’s some of the Nordic Ware pans we tested for this article (the recommended one for this article is at the bottom):

What We Liked

• 12 cup capacity = larger cakes! Great for parties or celebrations.

• Lightweight aluminum.

• Made in USA.

• Handles are helpful.

• Easy to clean.

What Needs Work

• Must grease it up! This pan is NOT no-stick. Our advice: use melted butter and a pastry brush to get in every crevice. (Add flour if your recipe calls for it).

• Hand wash only.

• Outside can cook quicker than inside of cake—lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent this!

• Dents easily. 

Best Instant Pot Cake Pan: Instant Pot Official Cooking Set, 4-piece, Assorted

Yes, we love our Instant Pot too. This official fluted cake pan (part of a four-piece set) can be used in either the six or eight quart Instant Pot models—and it worked well in our tests. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Well-made, thick metal construction.

• Easy to clean.

• Non-stick.

• Makes dense, moist cake! 

• Also works well in conventional ovens. 

• Fits in the most popular Instant Pots (6 and 8 quart).

What Needs Work

• Six cup capacity = smaller cakes. This is fine if you don’t need a large cake—but if you want to make a cake for a special celebration or party, the six-cup size is sub-optimal.

• Not made in the USA.

• No handles. That makes removing the cake somewhat of a challenge.

Best Mini Bundt Pan: Wilton Mini Fluted Tube Pan

If you like cupcakes, you’ll love mini bundt cakes—fun, cute and Instagram-ready.

Wilton’s Mini Flute Tube Pan is our favorite pan for these mini cakes. Great performance at a price that is easy on the wallet.

What We Liked

• Non-stick actually works!

• 12 molds.

• Easy to clean: dishwasher safe but maker suggests hand washing.

• Super cute!

• Nice for single serving cakes.

What Needs Work

• Smaller size than expected. Yes, this is a MINI cake pan . . . but some folks are disappointed that the resulting cakes are too small (about 1.5″ in diameter).

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing products for the home and families since 1994. We do hands-on testing—we buy the products with our own money and evaluate with an eye toward quality, ease of use and affordability.

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