Quite a few months ago I had a post on my facebook page about running out of Bakers Spray. Lots of smart and seasoned bakers chimed in, and almost half of them suggested this weird thing called GOOP or Homemade Pan Release. I use this on all my bundt cakes, such as my award-winning Cream Cheese Pound Cake and Chocolate Pound Cake.
What is Homemade Pan Release?
Or GOOP as grandmas call it. It’s cheap. It’s easy. It works. The recipe is beyond simple. Take equal parts of flour, vegetable oil, and shortening. (Full detailed recipe in the recipe card below.)
Blend them together. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 9 months.
How to Use Homemade Pan Release
To use your ‘goop’, simply grab a pastry brush and spread a generous amount around your cake pan. I re-loaded my brush about 3-4 times for one 8 in cake pan. One thing that I am conscious of is the sides, I do not go all the way up the sides. Try to only put the goop up as high as the batter would be. (about an inch)
If I use it all the way up the sides it tends to coat the cake around the edges as it bakes. Not a problem per say, just a preference on my part. 🙂
Tips for Using Homemade Pan Release
- I whisk my ingredients by hand, but you can certainly use a mixer. If you use a mixer the ingredients will still be creamy but will be slightly fluffier right away.
- I do not allow the cakes to cool to room temperature in the pan, I try to remove them from the oven and then invert them to a cooling rack. In my experience, when the cakes were allowed to completely cool to room temperature in the pan they did not release as well.
- Be generous with the goop.
- Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When I left mine on the counter for an extended period of time it seemed to separate faster. If you find the mixture separated at all, simply re-mix.
- You can easily halve (1/2) or even quarter (1/4) this recipe. I used the above recipe for about 5 months.
I have used this with success on all types of cake batter, thick and thin. However, some people suggest using more ‘goop’ with chocolate cakes and runny batter.
Can I Make This Gluten-Free? Or Use Other Oils?
I haven’t tested those, but lots of folks in the comments have. Folks have said that YES!, it will work with gluten-free flour.
LYNNETTE S. says: “I love love love this! We have a home with celiac disease and I used gluten free flour with xanthan gum, butter flavored Crisco and sesame seed oil. I’ve found nirvana! I’ll try it with different GF flour with different binders, but the sesame seed oil and butter flavored Crisco sealed the deal for me.”
Homemade Pan Release {Baking Spray}
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (205 g) shortening
- 1 cup (218 g) oil
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in medium bowl and whisk well by hand. The mixture will be smooth and creamy.
- Place in a sealable jar or container.
- This pan release can be stored at room temperature for 3 months, or in the fridge for 6 months.
To Use
- Dip a pastry brush into the mixture and generously spread over the bottom and sides of the cake pan.
Did you make this recipe?
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Love this idea. You said you’ve used up the amt. listed in 5 months. Did you find anywhere that said how long it would last? I don’t bake that much but do want to use this. Thanks.
I came across this recipe today as I had a faint memory of ‘homemade cake release’ being mentioned to me in the past. I made a batch when I got home from work, used it immediately with a chocolate cake I was baking and wow! This stuff is amazing! I normally use parchment paper along with butter and flour or an oil spray. No more! Thank you for sharing!
Nice post! There are all kinds of posts about cake release, pan grease, pan release and probably ten other names for this DIY recipe over at http://www.cakecentral.com.
FABULOUS idea. You are genius, my friend!
Ha… a genius I am not! Just took advantage of the kind suggestions from the smart folks who shared! 🙂
Please can you tell this silly UK lady, what is shortening that you guys use called over here, I know this might sound silly but I don’t want to use the wrong thing, thank you so much x
Not silly at all! I have heard that Flora White or Trex will usually work in place of shortening. 🙂
shortening, is solid cooking oil. made from plants or vegs that will become solid when at room temp. not margarine or butter, they have water in them. what did you use before regular veg oil was envented? not olive oil, that is all together different. shortening can be heated up and used for frying things as well as cooking cakes and pie crusts.. and put in pie pans before oil and flour was used.
i’ve always wondered why americans use baking spray. i only use butter (you could also use shortening or margarine) and it works fine. if the dough is very sticky, i put some flour on top. should look like this: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QW3mBgn0Ows/Tq0wzHbuIfI/AAAAAAAABVY/AF9pfHFn89Q/s1600/rohrbodenform.JPG
so you don’t have to prepare anything in advance and can use things you probably always have at home. 🙂
I am American and I to use butter and it always works great. I
Love this!! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Do you think there is a way to make this soy-free?? Could you substitute the shortening for real butter?
My daughter is allergic to soy – which presents many problems – one of which is I can’t use cooking spray, vegetable oil, or shortening.
Thanks!
Spectrum organic all-vegetable shortening is not homogenized (unlike Crisco) and is made of palm oil (much healthier than Crisco) and is SOY FREE! 🙂
I have used that in other foods, but hadnt considered it for this application. Great suggestion!
Trader joes sells a coconut oil spray. I’ve had good luck with it. My daughter is allergic to soy as well.
My husband is also allergic to soy. I would use safflower oil (a liquid) and coconut oil (a solid most of the time).
Could you use butter instead of shortening?
I researched this as well and could not find a definite answer. My thoughts would be this: Using butter instead would decrease “shelf” life, and would require refrigeration. I am also uncertain as to how well the ingredients would combine, as butters melting point seems much lower than shortening. Its worth experimenting with, but unfortunately I just don’t have an answer for you today. My apologies!
No problem. Thanks for the info. 🙂
I’m wondering if coconut oil wouldn’t be a healthier, less refined substitution. Doesn’t need refrigeration, but I’m not sure about the melting points… I usually just use coconut oil and flour for my pans and it works great!
thanks for pointing out that it should not go above the batter line-good point!
Best copycat ever! I am so making this as soon as I can get my hands on some shortening.
You are such a genius! Gosh I seriously need this. I seem to run out of my spray all the time.