6 ways to use that neglected Bundt pan
Home cooks are pushing beyond cake to savory dishes and other uses
If your kitchen is anything like mine, there’s almost certainly one piece of gear collecting dust on the back corner of the baker’s rack. That’s right, folks, I’m talking about the Bundt pan. And that’s Bundt with a capital “B.”
This specific bit of equipment is a relative newcomer, unleashed upon home cooks everywhere in 1950 by the Minnesota-based Nordic Ware. Company owner H. David Dalquist invented the pan and gave it its unique name. Pale imitators get labeled “fluted tube pan” or some other lesser designation.
Whatever you call it, the pan was slow to catch on. But that changed 16 years later, thanks to the efforts of one Houston home baker.
The late Ella Rita Helfrich, who died in 2015 at 98, probably did more than any single person to popularize the Bundt pan. Her entry in the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest, dubbed the Tunnel of Fudge Cake (see recipe), nabbed second place.
This was the first time America saw a Bundt cake — and we never looked back. Today, more than 70 million households reportedly own a Bundt pan.
But aside from the occasional sweet tribute to Mrs. Helfrich, is there a more underused piece of cookware in your pantry? Yeah, we thought not.
Fortunately, at least a few home cooks and chefs have pushed beyond the Bundt cake, finding new uses, tricks and savory recipes for the pan. So dust it off already and try these out. The Bundt pan pizza
bread: In addition to cakes, Bundt pans are the perfect vehicle to give pull-apart breads made from balls of dough a fun and attractive shape. And we’re not just talking sweet treats like Monkey Bread; savory loaves work just as well in a Bundt pan. Need proof ? Try our recipe for Pull Apart Pizza Bread. The Bundt pan cornkernel catcher: The next time you’ve got to strip corn kernels from their cobs, try this simple hack. Just tuck the small end of the cob into the hole in the center of the pan. Carefully slice your way down the side of the cob and let the pan catch all that golden goodness. The Bundt pan jalapeño poppers: Wait a second. Bundt pan jalapeño poppers are a thing? You bet they are. Just stuff a few dozen of Texas’ favorite chile with oodles of cheese, top with bacon and more cheese and bake (see recipe). This technique can be adapted to any sort of stuffed vegetable you want to keep upright in the oven. The Bundt pan ice ring:
We like punch. We like cold punch better. Keep it that way with a stylish ice ring frozen in a Bundt pan. You can use water, but one of the juices from your punch recipe will bring more flavor to the party. Feel free to layer in slices of fruit, edible flowers or other colorful touches.
And as a bonus, as it melts, the additional liquid dilutes the punch for a less boozy sip — exactly what you want in the waning hours of a shindig. When you’re ready to unmold the ring, just flip it over and run hot water over the pan to loosen it up. Pro tip: Use a silicone Bundt pan so you can peel away the pan. The Bundt pan meatloaf:
Why should carbs get to have all the fun? Meatloaf can be a homely dish, but give your next recipe a makeover by baking it in a Bundt pan. This will work with just about any meatloaf recipe built around 2 pounds of ground beef (see recipe), but watch the temperature as it cooks and plan for a shorter cooking time. That hole in the middle can result in a loaf that hits 160 degrees before the time your recipe might suggest. The Bundt pan roast
chicken: A vast improvement on the once ubiquitous beercan chicken, this roasting technique maximizes crispy, delicious skin by inserting the middle cone into the business end of the bird keeping it upright. And if you want to make a complete meal of it, fill the base of the pan with potatoes or other vegetables. As the chicken cooks, all those glorious juices will drip down and season the veg. One word of caution: if the stem in your pan has a hole in the center, be sure to cover it with a piece of foil or you’ll have an impressive mess in the oven.