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.
Hi! Can i substitute to normal butter instead of shortening? :S
I used to work in a bakery and we used Cornflour instead of flour, but no longer work there, but the thing I realised sometimes it left a residue on the cake, maybe you should try it and let us know, maybe our ratio’s were not correct!
The other thing is what is shortening, because here in South Africa I did not find it on the shelves!
Great thanx for a very awesome blog!
Do you have to let it dry or something before putting the batter?
Nope!
Does it leave marks on the cake? In a recent baking competition I lost points as the judge could see lines from my greasing the pans with butter, so I am looking for a mark-free alternative!
Yes, I can sometimes see it on the sides of dark cake. What a silly thing for you to lose points on! 🙁
Pretty much the same as the old fashioned way. Spread a thin layer of shortening in your pan and dust it with flour.
Actually that is a quite different method. 🙂
Can a gluten free all purpose flour be used for the pan release recipe??
Thanks.
When your cakes have cooled too long in the pan, turn on a stove burner, set the cake pan on the burner for a few seconds to gently heat the bottom of the pan and the cake will come out like it’s supposed to.
Great suggestion!
Do you still flour pan after using this?
Nope!
I can’t believe it. This stuff actually works. I tried it out with chocolate cake and using my worst cake pan to test it. Waited until the cake was just warm in the pan, turned it over and it came right out. Guess what I’m keeping in the fridge now. Thanks for a great tip!
Can I use lard?