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?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I love to bake but don’t get to bake very often so I was wondering, can you please tell me how long this would stay fresh in my refrigerator? I’ve seen answers for how long it lasts without refrigeration but not with it. I’ve always stayed away from the sprays and just used shortening or butter with flour, so can you tell me how this works differently than that? I love the idea, especially since I prefer my baked goods to be homemade instead of from a box! I originally saw this in a Facebook post from a friend, but now that I know where it came from, I will be visiting this site much more often! 🙂
What about coconut oil instead of the shortening? If kept in the fridge it would stay fairly solid and not liquid. Will have to try it as I don’t use any vegetable shortening because of the trans-fats.
Most shortenings on the market nowadays no longer contain trans fats, including crisco, one of the most popular sellers. It’s been some years now the trans fats had to be removed from all baked and baking products which caused a big problem in the baking industry for a while.
I used coconut oil for a bit as I got caught up in the popularity rush/fad about coconut oil, but couldn’t get past the fact it is coconut oil, a product that is not good for the heart & that most coconut oils are laced with palm oil (even worse for the heart) even though it is not on the label.
Sorry how is coconut oil bad for you?
Spectrum Non-Hydrogenaged shortening is my favorite ‘go-to’ in place of hydrogenated shortenigs!
I’ve been using homemade pan release for a good 10 yrs & can’t say as I’ve ever heard of it being called goop, but that could be because I don’t do facebook. The recipe I was given, which is the same as your’s, came from a cake buddy on the Sweet Dreams by Tracy, cake decorating site. A site I came across when I started cake decorating years ago. Unfortunately & sadly, after so many years of making a lot of great cake buddy cyber friends, Tracy’s site will soon be gone for good.
I know that coconut oil is good for you, and use it instead of butter in a lot of recipes, and never ever use shortening, and has a wonderful shelf life – so substitue it for the shortening in this, and it should be wonderful!!!
I use this stuff too, but not only for baking cakes. I use it any time I make a casserole too. And it’s the only way I’ll make muffins without liners.
The recipe says specifically to whisk by hand. Will doing it with a mixer make much difference? I can’t mix anything by hand right now.
That would be fine! Hope you feel better soon!
Love this idea , thanks for sharing. Have always hated using the spray because the vapors always made me cough.. Will use for sure
What I usually do is add vegetable oil to the bottom and sides of the pan and im good to go! Slides right out
My former Mother-in-law gave me this recipe about 30 years ago. She got it from a cake baking class she took. I had forgotten all about it. Thanks for the reminder.
Awesome! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂
Can you use cocoa instead of flour?
Hum… not sure! Its definitely something to consider! 🙂