Marble Bundt Cake

For when you can't decide between vanilla and chocolate

Have you ever gotten the yips with a particular bake? Like, everything was baking up fine until suddenly…it wasn’t?

‘Twas the case with me and my Heritage bundt pan. Suddenly, all my bundts, even recipes that had previously worked just fine in that pan, were sticking. I experimented with all the different bundt prepping methods: softened butter and flour, melted butter and flour, cake goop, pan spray, you name it — I tried it.

Not going to lie, it was kind of demoralizing. Bundts aren’t supposed to be that hard! I mean, the whole point is that the shape looks great out of the pan so you don’t have to do much else in terms of presentation. I was ready to retire the bundt pan for good, but then my husband suggested one final method: Baker’s Joy.

Now many years ago, I had used regular cooking spray to prep my bundt pans, but stopped after learning that residue from these sprays can build up in the pan and cause sticking over time. (In retrospect, this may be the reason my cakes were sticking for awhile...) However, Nordicware specifically calls for Baker’s Joy (or a similar spray designated for baking) in their instructions for prepping their pans.

(Yes, the Nordicware has specific pan prepping instructions on their website. Yes, embarrassingly, I missed it.)

Guys, it worked. And not just once. Multiple times, with different recipes. WHAT A RELIEF.

Now, if you’re a confident bundt baker and you’ve got a prep method that works for you, I’m not going to suggest you mess with success. All roads lead to Rome, etc. But if you’ve got the bundt yips or aren’t sure where to start, give Baker’s Joy a whirl. And don’t forget to read the manufacturer’s instructions.

This is a swirled up version of my favorite pound cake. Blooming cocoa powder in hot coffee helps the chocolate part taste truly chocolatey, even though we’re just making one batter and dividing it up. A simple brushed glaze adds a subtle sweet crunch without obscuring the attractive shape and marbled effect of the cake.

Marble Bundt Cake

Makes one 10” bundt cake