What Can You Use Instead Of A Bundt Pan? [5 Alternatives To Consider]

You're bound to run into a recipe you want to try but don't have the proper cookware for. Have you found a bundt recipe that looks delicious but you don't have a bundt in your cooking arsenal? We've done some research to find the best solution to your dilemma.

If you don't have a bundt pan, but you'd like to recreate a family recipe, or perhaps a friend has given you an award-winning recipe you've decided to use for a get-together. Don't stress, you can easily cook up that recipe with one of these five alternatives we've found.

Tube pan
9-inch round pie pans
9 x 13-inch baking pan
Muffin pan
Springform pan

Keep reading as we delve into all five pans and answer some common questions about bundt pans.

Things to use in place of A Bundt pan:

1. Tube Pan/ Angel Food Cake Pan

If you've got a tube pan in your cabinet you're in luck! They are typically used to make angel food cake (hence the name, angel food cake pan) or spongecakes. The tube pan is the closest alternative to the bundt pan. They have the same center tube as the bundt pans but a smooth, non-decorative bottom. A 10-inch tube pan holds 16 cups, which is a tad larger than the bundt. A 10-inch bundt has a 12 cup capacity.

Generally, bakers prefer the bundt pans for the decorative top. If you've got a tube pan that has a removable base, don't worry, that's just a design feature for cooling down those lighter, airy cakes.

If you've got a tube pan you're going to use, the only modification you need to make is to pay attention to volume, as you may have to adjust cooking times if you have a deeper tube pan or shorter for a shallower pan.

If you're unsure of the cup capacity of your pan, there is an easy way to check the volume of your pan. For the amount of batter you're going to be using, you pour 1 cup of water in the pan at a time until it's full. However many cups you've put into the pan is how many cups your pan is! You usually only fill the pans about 2/3 of the way with batter to make room for expansion to prevent overflow while baking.

Check out this tube pan on Amazon.

2. 9-Inch Round Pie Pans

For the 9-inch pie pans, you'll want to grease up some ramekins, put them in the center of the pie pans upside down, pour your batter and bake! Since the pie pans are making two much thinner cakes, you'll want to keep a closer eye on them while baking to prevent overbaked cakes. Wait about 10 minutes before you attempt to remove the ramekins.

Check out this pie pan set on Amazon.

Check out these ramekins on Amazon.

3. 9 x 13-inch Baking Pan

When using a 9" x 13" baking pan make sure not to overfill the pan, give about 1/2" of room from the batter to the top of the pan so there is room for the cake to rise. You'll also want to shorten the bake time since the 9" x 13" is a shallower dish, calling for reduced time in the oven.

Check out this 9 x 13- inch baking pan on Amazon.

4. Muffin Pan

If you're working with a 12- cup Bundt recipe, you can convert that into 18 - 24 cupcakes in a standard muffin tin. What makes this option appealing is you can line your muffin tin with cupcake liners making for no mess and no greasing! Just like the other conversions, you'll want to leave room for expansion, only filling your muffins to 1/2 or 3/4 of the way full.

Check out this muffin pan on Amazon.

5. Springform Pan

For a springform pan, you simply put a greased pint-sized mason jar in the center of the pan, pour in your batter, and bake! Wait about 10 minutes after baking before removing the jar.

Check out this springform pan on Amazon.

Check out these pint-sized mason jars on Amazon.

What Is Special About A Bundt Cake?

What exactly is a bundt pan? A Bundt is a deep tube pan and has decorative, sculpted features on its bottom. The tube in the center gives it a distinct donut shape. The sculpted features on the bottom allow for a beautiful fancy-looking cake with minimal frosting or decorating effort. Most people just put a drizzle of syrup, frosting, or powdered sugar to finish them off, and they still look stunning.

Bundt pans allow more of the cake batter to be in contact with the edges of the pan. In turn, the heat is distributed more evenly and effectively. They are especially great for pound and butter cakes, which tend to have more moisture in their batters. They produce a wonderfully moist cake with a denser, almost crispy edge.

Materials

You'll find everything from glass, silicone, stoneware, steel, and aluminum for bundt pans. Many baking experts praise aluminum for its ability to conduct heat evenly. Experts recommend selecting an aluminum pan that has a lighter interior to prevent an overbaked exterior.

Designs

This is the best part about bundt pans! There are so many unique and beautiful designs to chose from that can make your cake not only delicious but just absolutely stunning with minimal decorating effort. You can choose from a seasonal design, unique shapes breaking out of that donut mold, intricate molds, and even mini Bundts!

If you decide on an intricate mold, be sure to take your time greasing the pan as it's more likely for the cake to stick. A baker's tip is to use a basting brush to get into all the little crevices while greasing the pan.

Check out this decorative Bundt on Amazon.

Check out this Christmas themed Bundt on Amazon.

Check out this heart-shaped Bundt on Amazon.

Check out this mini Bundt pan on Amazon.

What Is The Best Size Bundt Pan?

So you've decided you want to invest in a bundt pan for your baking arsenal. Most bundt recipes call for a 10-12 cup pan. Some pans are larger, but it's best to stick to the standard sizing. We recommend choosing a 10 cup pan as most bundt recipes call for this size. If you want a larger capacity bundt, try to find one taller versus wider, so you don't have to adjust cook times for your recipe.

What Size Pan Is Equivalent To A Bundt Pan?

The standard bundt pan is 10" x 3" and holds about 10 to 12 cups. So the absolute best equivalent is going to be your 10" tube pan.

Can You Line A Bundt Pan With Parchment Paper?

You cannot line a bundt pan effectively with parchment paper. The elaborately sculpted bottoms make placing the parchment paper on the bottom of the pan extremely difficult. You can, however, effectively grease the pan, making it non-stick!

How do I grease my Bundt pan?

To grease your bundt pan, all you need is some butter and flour! In place of butter, you can also use oil or margarine.

Instructions to grease your Bundt

Take one tablespoon of room temperature butter, spread it all over the inside of the pan, including the walls, accomodating for expansion during baking. If you're using margarine, do the same, and for the oil, you can spread using your hands or use a cooking spray such as Pam or Crisco.
Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour in the bottom of the pan. Slowly rotate the pan so that the flour coats the butter evenly. Dump out any excess flour and you're ready to bake!

In Closing

We hope we've answered any questions you may have had about alternatives to use instead of a bundt. There is no doubt the classic bundt pan is a great addition to any baker's collection. However, we hope you'll bake with confidence with any pan alternatives we've mentioned above!

Other reading considerations from Kitchen Seer:

How To Easily Remove A Bundt Cake From The Pan [4 Methods To Try!]

25 Types Of Baking Dishes You Need In Your Kitchen