I have a Bundt pan that for a long time was my nemesis. No matter what I used to grease the pan, whether it was shortening, butter, non-stick spray, or any one of these plus a dusting of flour, the baked cake always stuck to the pan. In most cases, large chunks of the cake would remain attached to the pan and I would have to piece my cake together like a puzzle.

Well, when I became a Wilton cake decorating instructor about 3 years ago, I learned all about Wilton Cake Release and I quickly became a huge fan of this product. My Bundt pan no longer torments me!

What is Cake Release?
Simply put, Wilton Cake Release is a mixture of shortening and flour, used to grease cake pans so that baked cakes come out of the pan cleanly, without sticking.

Cake Release is sold in an 8 oz. flip top squeeze bottle. Simply flip up the top and squeeze the Cake Release into your pan. Use a pastry brush to spread the product evenly around the pan, making sure to get the Cake Release into all corners and crevices. Once your pan is greased, fill the pan with your cake batter and bake as directed by your recipe. Allow the baked cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack (10 minutes for most cakes, 15 minutes for larger sheet cakes or character cakes), then turn out the cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely. When using the Cake Release, your cake will easily come out of the pan with less crumbs, making it easier to frost cleanly.

Do I Need It?
Not all bakers/homes will necessarily need to have Cake Release on hand all the time, but all bakers should be aware of this product, especially when they are preparing to bake a Bundt cake, character cake, or other cake in which the pan has a lot of corners, crevices or details.

Cake Release is easy to apply to these types of pans, and in my experience performs much better (and is simpler to use) than traditional greasing methods such as butter or shortening and flour. Since the flour is already part of this product, you get the results of a floured pan without the mess and extra steps.

Where Do I Find It?
Wilton Cake Release can be found in the cake decorating section of craft stores such as Michaels and Hobby Lobby. While it is not carried in most grocery stores, Super Walmart stores usually stock it in their craft area, which also features other Wilton cake decorating products. Cake Release can also be purchased through the online store at Wilton.com.

The Wilton site price for this product is $3.49, and most retailers will price this item comparably.

The 8 oz. bottle of Cake Release will prepare/grease about 17 pans, more or less depending upon the size of pan. Most pans will require less than a tablespoon of Cake Release to properly grease them.

Summary
While not all home cooks will find it necessary to keep this on hand at all times, as a cake decorator and avid baker, I find it extremely useful and make sure I have it at all times. It is especially helpful when baking Bundt cakes and character/shaped cakes, it coats the pan in one step, and cakes come out of the pan with fewer crumbs, giving an ideal smooth surface for icing and decorating. I highly recommend Wilton Cake Release.

Ingredients: Soybean oil, vegetable shortening (partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oils), corn flour, soy lecithin, TBHQ (antioxidant), citric acid in propylene glycol added to retard oxidation.

Recommended: Yes