Homemade pan release is my go-to solution for removing baked goods from whatever baking pan you use without damaging your product! This is a bakery game-changer, so keep reading to learn exactly what I do to solve this sticky dilemma that every baker faces.
Are you spending too much time and money buttering, flouring, and cutting parchment circles to fit your cake pans or muffins?
Homemade Pan Release is Easy and It Works!
How many times have you baked a cake and just when you go to take it out of the pan, it sticks and crumbles leaving you with an unusable mess of cake crumbs?
I rely on this stuff to easily release my favorite cake recipes from the pan each and every time. Cakes like Lemon Bundt Cake and Classic Carrot Cake can be hard to get out of the pan, but when I use this pan release, the cakes come out perfectly every time.
What is Homemade Pan Release?
Homemade pan release, or pan lube as it's called in my bakery ( I didn’t name it, I swear!) is sometimes called Pan Goop or Homemade Bakers Spray.
It is a ridiculously easy blend of equal parts of three simple ingredients.
Here's how to make it:
- Flour- ½ cup
- Vegetable oil-½ cup
- Solid vegetable shortening-½ cup
How to Make Your Own Pan Release
Use your mixer with the paddle attachment to mix up a batch of this super easy stuff.
In other words. just dump all the ingredients into the bowl and mix on low-med speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
How do I use Pan Release to Keep My Cakes From Sticking?
To use your Homemade Pan Release you simply use a pastry brush to apply the mixture to the inside of your pans.
- Generously apply this homemade pan release to the inside of your clean and dry cake pans.
- Brush the sides of the pans only as far up as the batter will go.
- Bake cakes according to directions
- When they come out of the oven, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, firmly “dump” your cake out onto parchment or plastic wrap the counter
How to Store Your Pan Goop
You can store your Homemade Pan Release at room temperature or refrigerated. It just depends on how often you will use it.
For daily bakers- keep it at room temperature in a sealed container for up to one week.
For occasional bakers- keep it refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 6 months.
What else can you do with this awesome stuff?
Here are some other uses for Homemade Pan Release
Muffin Tins- anytime I want a muffin without the paper liner this works great.
So if you find yourself without paper liners for odd-size muffin pans like minis or jumbos, try using this instead!
Easy DIY Pan Release
Equipment
- Stand Mixer - whip attachment
- Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ cup Vegetable Shortening
Instructions
- Combine all three ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, or use a hand-held mixer to combine all the ingredients.
- Mix on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and lump-free.
- Store mixture in a sealed jar for up to 7 days at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to 6 months.
I hope you find this little baker's trick to be useful in your baking adventures. No more need for parchment circles, greasing and flouring, or specialty pan spray.
Just keep a jar of this wonderful goop on hand and bake like a pro, every time.
Jennifer Gorsline says
I regularly bake mini bundt cakes and have been using Baker's Joy. Sometimes the way the nozzle releases the spray makes it too heavy in the well of the pan and the result is these minis with divots on their tops. Does using this (besides being so much less expensive) goop do away with that? I noticed that the application you demonstrate has parts that are thicker than others. Does that affect the appearance of the top or for you that isn't a problem? Trying to sell these to coffee shops and when they are "pock marked" they don't look as pretty! Any suggestions or advice?
Better Baker says
Hi Jennifer, I haven't noticed any "pock-marked" surfaces on my cakes. It seems like I can apply the pan goop really thick and the cakes still come out perfectly smooth. I have noticed that chocolate cakes leave a tiny film of chocolate residue but it really doesn't affect the surface area of the cakes. This really was a game-changer for me!
Tom says
Thank you, I am an person that likes to bake for friends and can’t stand spray release in messes with my sinus. No more thank you
Beth Hagins Arthur says
How much of each ingredient is needed to make a batch of this? TIA
Better Baker says
It's 1:1:1 but I just updated the recipe to include measurements. Thanks for commenting!
Better Baker says
Great! Glad you found this recipe then. Happy Baking!
Kathy says
You are using way too much grease on your pans! You don't want to "fry" your cakes. A thin layer of Crisco, then cover well with flour, then tap all sides of your pan to release the excess flour into another pan, or I do it over the garbage can. When cake comes out of oven, cool 10 minutes then invert pan and it'll slip right out.
Also, your batter amounts don't look right to me. I do 9 x 13 cakes all the time. it takes 8 cups of batter. 8 cups batter to make a 2" deep cake or quarter sheet cake. Just sayin'..
Better Baker says
Hi Kathy, Thanks for visiting my blog. Cakes baked with this method release perfectly without "frying" them. I have used the crisco and flour technique for many years. It is how we baked all our cakes in my chain of 3 retail cake shops. I'm very familiar with it and it does work really well. However, Ever since I switched to this method I prefer it. There is less risk of missing a spot with the crisco and having the cake pull apart. It's also much less messy. There's room for more than one method and you can do whatever works best for you!
Cheyenne says
Is there anything to replace the shortening and oil with? Such as olive oil or something similar?
Better Baker says
I personally have never tried any substitutions for the shortening and oil, so I can't say for certain how they would turn out. If you do try using something like olive oil, I'd be interested to hear about your experience! Happy baking!
Brenna MacIvor says
Where do you get or how do you make vegetable shortening? Thanks
Better Baker says
Vegetable shortening is also known as Crisco. It is usually found in the vegetable oil section of most American grocery stores. It's made from hydrogenated vegetable oils, so it's easier to buy it pre-made. Hope this helps!