How to Bake a Bundt Cake With a Bundt Pan Substitute

Bundt cakes are delicious—this is a known fact. But you may not know that you can bake a delicious Bundt cake even if you don’t have the right pan. You probably have the perfect Bundt pan substitute in your kitchen right now.

What to Use Instead of a Bundt Pan

Thankfully, you can use many types of cake pans for your Bundt cake recipe. You basically have two options here: make your own Bundt pan, or use a different pan altogether. Regardless of which option you choose, remember you won’t get the same stylized exterior without a real Bundt pan.

Here’s everything you can make in a Bundt pan.

How to Make Your Own Bundt Pan

To make your own substitute Bundt pan, you’ll need a standard round cake pan (ideally a 9-inch round), pie weights like this and a small, empty oven-proof container (like a simple oven-safe glass Pyrex dish). Place the glass in the middle of the cake pan, fill it with your weights, make sure it will not move (you don’t want batter under that glass, trust me). Then, pour your batter.

Editor’s Tip: A Bundt pan is deep, so if you substitute a normal 9-inch round pan, you’ll have way too much batter. It’s a good idea to make a second “Bundt” cake at the same time.

How to Convert a Bundt Cake Recipe

You can adapt a Bundt cake recipe to whatever pan you do have in your kitchen. To convert your Bundt cake recipe, first decide which pan you’ll use. A standard Bundt cake pan holds between 10 and 12 cups of batter, and standard Bundt cake recipes typically make slightly more than what you’d bake in a 13×9 pan, or two 9-inch round cakes. Find more baking pan conversions.

Can you bake a Bundt cake in a 13×9 pan? Yes—but don’t overfill the pan. Be sure to leave about 1/2″ to 1/4″ of space at the top to give the cake room to grow.

You’ll also need to adjust your baking time. Bundt cake pans are deep, so recipes call for longer baking times. If you change to a shallower dish, bake for a significantly shorter time period, and check in frequently. Using a toothpick or skewer, check the cake every 10 to 15 minutes until it comes out clean.

Here Are Our Favorite Bundt Cake Recipes

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California Lemon Pound Cake

Citrus trees grow abundantly in California, and I'm always looking for new recipes which use the fruit from the orange and lemon trees in my yard. This is one of my favorites! My mother passed this recipe down to me. —Richard Killeaney, Spring Valley, California Get Recipe

Blueberries and Cream Coffee Cake

This blueberry coffee cake is a Saturday morning tradition my boys grew up with. It's also my go-to recipe for all of our holiday get-togethers because it's perfect for breakfast or dessert. It's easy to make, and it's the most delicious coffee cake I've ever had. —Susan Ober, Franconia, New Hampshire

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Margarita Cake

This margarita cake is perfect for a picnic on a warm day. You'll be surprised at how closely it tastes like the real thing. —Dawn Lowenstein, Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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Lemon Lover's Pound Cake

Everyone raves about this pretty dessert—it sure doesn't last long with my family. It also freezes beautifully, so why not make two and pop one into the freezer for another day? —Annettia Mounger, Kansas City, Missouri

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Banana Pound Cake

I adapted a basic pound cake recipe from my great-aunt for this treat. It makes a moist cake that pops out of the pan perfectly. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

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Raspberry Moscow Mule Cake

This Moscow mule cake is my favorite cake I've ever made from scratch. It's so moist and flavorful and reminds me of my favorite cocktail. —Becky Hardin, St. Peters, Missouri

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Peanut Butter Bundt Cake

This peanut butter bundt cake with frosting is heavenly to me. I use smooth peanut butter, but crunchy would work, too. —Karen Holt, Rock Hill, South Carolina

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Mom's Citrus Buttermilk Cake

Everyone raves over this lovely lemon cake. It's divine with fresh raspberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

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Pina Colada Tube Cake

We named this a “pina colada” cake because it has coconut, pineapple and rum. It’s a soothing finish at the end of a big spread. —Debra Keil, Owasso, Oklahoma

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Streuseled Zucchini Bundt Cake

Inspired by an abundance of zucchini, I found a new way to use it up in this spiced and lightly sweet cake. It even won a blue ribbon at our county fair! —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas

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Jelly Donut Cake

Cake. Doughnuts. Now you don't have to choose between the two. Impress your family with this easy jelly-filled cake. Try your best to center the jelly in the middle of the half-filled Bundt pan so that it will not leak out the edges of the cake.—Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

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Brown Sugar Pound Cake

This tender pound cake is the first one I mastered. You'll want to eat the browned butter icing by the spoonful. It tastes like pralines. —Shawn Barto, Winter Garden, Florida

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Surprise Carrot Cake

A cousin gave me this carrot cake recipe. It's a wonderful potluck pleaser with its "surprise" cream cheese center. My husband and our two young children love it, too! —Lisa Bowen, Little Britian, Ontario

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Citrus-Raspberry Coffee Cake

Orange and lemon beautifully complement the raspberry flavor in this dense cake. Add a dusting of confectioners’ sugar for a pretty finishing touch. —Pat Harlow, Cataldo, Idaho

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Chocolate Comfort Cake

This moist and delicious chocolate cake is usually the first dessert to go. People even eat the crumbs. It’s always my top choice for holiday dinners. —Ellen Riley, Murfreesboro, Tennessee

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Hazelnut Pear Cake

From the hazelnuts to the yummy browned butter glaze, this dessert is a little different from an everyday pound cake. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

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Caribbean Coconut Rum Cake

My take on those boozy treats that weigh down suitcases returning from Jamaica, this moist cake packs a rum punch. You may wish to card your guests before serving. The longer the rum soaks in, the better—overnight is best. —Jenn Hall, Collingswood, New Jersey

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Chocolate-Cherry Brownie Cake

My grandmother taught me the tricks to making this cake, and I've added my own special touches. The melted chocolate keeps the icing from being too dry and gives it a texture similar to chocolate ice cream. I have more requests for the icing than I do anything else! —Susan Hayes, Massapequa, New York

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Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake

Pair a slice of this moist cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It's a staple at our family barbecues. —Rebecca Little, Park Ridge, Illinois

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Sour Cream Pound Cake

Because I'm our town's postmaster, I can bake only in my spare time. When I do, I especially like this sour cream cake recipe. This one tastes great as is, or tucked under ice cream and chocolate syrup like a hot fudge sundae! —Karen Conrad, East Troy, Wisconsin

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Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Holiday breakfasts would not be the same at our house without this delicious coffee cake. Whenever I take it anywhere, everyone raves about it and wants the recipe. —Susan Walschlager, Anderson, Indiana

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Fluted Lemon Cake with Fresh Fruit

This citrusy, golden-brown cake looks especially beautiful baked in a fancy fluted pan. Serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh fruit. —Donna Pochoday, Morristown, New Jersey

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Rainbow Cake with Clouds

Some cakes stand on their own without icing. For this bright Rainbow Cake, use a little whipped cream to make fluffy clouds. —Janet Tigchelaar, Jerseyville, Ontario

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Coconut Pound Cake with Lime Glaze

This pound cake is the best! Oven temps will vary, so if the cake is not done after 1 hour and 20 minutes, continue baking in 5-minute intervals. Use fresh, not bottled, lime juice for the glaze. —Jo McFarland, Sterling, Virginia

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Contest-Winning Moist Chocolate Cake

You don't have to spend a lot of time to serve an elegant and delicious dessert. Just mix up the batter in one bowl, bake and get ready for people to love this chocolate bundt cake. —Christa Hageman, Telford, Pennsylvania

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The post How to Bake a Bundt Cake With a Bundt Pan Substitute appeared first on Taste of Home.

Kate Ellsworth