Anytime you’re baking a Bundt cake in one of those festive pans with lots of intricate corners and crenulations, shell-shaped madeleines, or a fleet of muffins or financiers that pride themselves on sharp, tidy edges and a flawless golden crust, you’re going to want to coat the interior of the pan with baking spray.
Baking Tips
Keep Cakes from Sticking with Homemade Baking “Spray”
Do a lot of baking? Whip up a batch of homemade baking spray. It’s quick and easy to make, cheaper than PAM or Baker’s Joy, and just as effective. It also keeps for months.
By Published Feb. 15, 2024.
In addition to the oil (palm, soybean, or coconut) and emulsifiers (lecithin or mono- and diglycerides) that all nonstick cooking sprays contain, baking spray typically includes starch such as flour, cornstarch, or wheat starch that adds an extra layer of insurance against sticking. The starch particles create space between the baked goods and the pan, insulating the batter or dough from the metal and ensuring that food releases without hesitation.
It’s a really useful product, though a bit pricey (roughly $3.50 per 5-ounce can of Baker’s Joy, the test kitchen’s favorite brand) and the empty spray cans eventually wind up in a landfill. That’s why Deputy Food Editor Andrea Geary came up with a homemade version; it saves money, avoids waste, and makes use of ingredients you probably already have on hand.
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How to Make Your Own Baking “Spray”
Andrea’s recipe is a smooth paste that you paint on the interior surface of a baking pan with a pastry brush, and it comes together in minutes: All you do is beat together nearly equal amounts of all-purpose flour and vegetable shortening in a stand mixer until the mixture is smooth and then slowly stream in some vegetable oil while the mixer is running until it’s thoroughly incorporated.
The oil and flour help prevent sticking; the shortening helps keep the flour evenly dispersed and also gives the refrigerated mixture the proper semi-solid consistency for brushing onto the pan.
Make Darker Baking Spray for Darker Baked Goods
To prevent the pale mixture from leaving a whitish film on darker baked goods such as chocolate cake or gingerbread, tint it with ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder per tablespoon of pan release.
How Long Does Homemade Baking Spray Last?
This recipe holds well in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature for up to 6 months.
Can I Make Gluten-Free Baking Spray?
Yes, simply replace the all-purpose flour with an equal weight of gluten-free flour.
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Baking Pan Release
Makes about 1 cup
Total time: 10 minutes
To prevent the pale mixture from leaving a whitish film on darker baked goods such as chocolate cake or gingerbread, tint it with ½ teaspoon of cocoa powder per tablespoon of pan release. The shortening helps keep the flour evenly dispersed and gives the refrigerated mixture the proper consistency for brushing onto the pan, so we don’t recommend substituting a firmer fat such as butter or coconut oil. Gluten-free flour can be substituted for the all-purpose flour.
⅔ cup (3⅓ ounces) all-purpose flour
½ cup vegetable shortening
½ cup vegetable oil
Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat flour and shortening on medium-low speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer running, slowly add oil and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl halfway through mixing. Transfer to lidded container and refrigerate or store at cool room temperature for up to 6 months.
