The 5 Best Bundt Pans of 2023, According to Testing

Aug 28, 2023

These pans make it easy to bake decorative cakes with ease.

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Better Homes & Gardens / David Hattan

Bundt pans are decorative, fluted, and circular cake pans. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party at home or just want to want to make a sweet treat for yourself, the best Bundt pans allow you to bake an impressive cake with ease.

"Because of the edging, a Bundt cake will have designs baked and imprinted on the cake, while cakes baked in a regular pan won't," says Jen Pattap, baker and founder of Piece of Love Pastries.

To find the best Bundt pans, we tried 11 different styles at our testing lab in Birmingham, Alabama. To evaluate each pan, we baked the same recipe in each one and then scored them based on ease of use, performance, and ease of cleaning, as well as durability. We also consulted Pattap for additional insight.

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Handles make it easier to invert the pan and release your cake.

Hand washing is recommended.

Overall, the best Bundt pan is this Nordic Ware style. The cast aluminum pan is made with a non-stick coating that makes for a quick release and easy cleaning process. Plus, it's on the taller side and can accommodate recipes that call for 10 to 15 cups of batter, so it's ideal for larger recipes as well.

The exterior surface is made of reflective silver that supports uniform browning and cooking around the entire circular pan. According to our test, this rang true as both test recipes came out of the cake mold neatly and efficiently.

The pan features vertical fluting that alternates between sharp, narrow, and rounded, wide shapes that result in a beautifully crafted cake. Heavier and thicker than some of the other options we tested, this one held up pretty well during our durability test. There were some scratches, but they were few and far between.

It's recommended to hand wash only with a mild detergent but we found it easy to clean during testing. Since the fluting is not too intricate and the non-stick coating is very effective, there weren't any cake bits left or nooks and crannies to deep clean.

"Nordic Ware makes my favorite Bundt pans. They are made of cast aluminum which conducts heat beautifully and have many beautiful designs. They stand up over time and consistently prove to be the best I’ve found," says Pattap.

The model features handles on each side that make it easy to maneuver the pan in and out of the oven and much simpler to invert and release the cake. The handles do make the pan a little wider for storage, but we didn't feel it was much of a drawback.

Price at time of publish: $38

Product Details: Size: 10.5 x 4.5 x 10.5 inches | Material: Aluminum

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It offers a more simple design that's easy to clean.

It's more prone to scratches in comparison to other models.

For a less expensive option, the best Bundt pan is this pick by Wilton. The pan is smaller than other styles and there is no intricate design or deep fluting, so there aren't any deep crevices to clean.

While the capacity is not listed, we found it holds about 10 cups of batter at the maximum. The pan has two small handles on each side–they’re not big and are more like an extension of the pan, but they help maneuver the cake pan in and out of the oven and help invert the pan after cooking.

The pan passed our cooking tests just fine. However, during the durability test, we made intentional scratches and every single one left a mark. Overall, gentle care needs to be taken with this pan, especially to protect the non-stick coating. While the cake pan is dishwasher safe, the brand recommends washing it with warm, soapy water for best results.

Price at time of publish: $18

Product Details: Size: 9.51 x 3.37 inches | Material: Alloy steel

Le Creuset

This pan is crafted with a unique, layered design beyond simple fluting.

Some cake batter and spray got stuck in the seams, making it a little bit harder to clean.

If you bake often and prefer a more durable pick, this Le Creuset option is the best Bundt pan to invest in. Made of heavy gauge carbon steel, the Bundt pan is sturdy and heavy. Unlike traditional fluted designs, this Bundt pan has a more layered structure, with three distinct designs on three layers.

While conducting our cooking tests, both the cake batter and spray got stuck in the seams, which impacted how easy it was to clean this pick. The non-stick features certainly worked, however, and the cake popped right out of the pan, though it left some hard-to-clean residue.

In our durability test, it was pretty hard to scratch this pan, and not every scratch left a mark, as they did with other picks. Overall, we felt confident this pick could stand up to wear and tear over time.

Price at time of publish: $52

Product Details: Size: 11.25 x 4.25 x 10.24 inches | Material: Carbon steel

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This ceramic pan is available in four colorways and was one of the most durable options we tested.

There's a carbon steel base below the ceramic coating, so don't use this in the microwave.

While many of the best Bundt pans are usually made from carbon steel or aluminum, this unique pan by CasaWare has a carbon steel base covered with a non-stick ceramic coating. Offered in four colors, including some standouts like blue or rose gold, this features a speckled, granite design that's different than other styles.

The pan is crafted with two built-in handles that help lift the inverted pan off the cake after cooking. The handles are key when maneuvering the pan into a hot oven to bake. The non-stick coating worked well in our cooking tests, although there was a bit less even browning than in other pan options.

In our durability testing, this was the most durable pan on our list, and all the dings produced shallow marks. We also think the speckled look plays to the pan's benefit, making any defects hard to see.

Handwashing is always recommended for this pick. Luckily, cleaning was a breeze because there were no intricate designs, and the surface was very non-stick. Handwashing is always recommended and even though it has a ceramic coating, it should never be placed in a microwave.

Price at time of publish: $23

Product Details: Size: 12 x 3.5 x 10.5 inches | Material: Ceramic coating over carbon steel

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The handles are outfitted with silicone grips.

The fluting on this design is more subtle than some other options.

Made of sturdy carbon steel, that material aids in even heat distribution and won't warp. This pan stands out thanks to its unique handles. Two sides of the pan feature handles coated in an oven-safe silicone grip. Thanks to those silicone handles, you can confidently hold and invert this pan, even with bulky oven mitts covering your hands.

This cake pan has subtle fluting, so if you’re looking for a mold with a more intricate or unique design, this isn't the best Bundt pan. However, in our cooking test, this pan yielded an evenly brown cake that was well-cooked and consistent. Because of the non-stick coating, the finished cake popped right out when the pan was inverted and didn't leave any residue behind.

The one downside of this pan is that in our durability testing, every scratch left a mark on the pan, so you’ll have to be mindful while using it. Luckily, we found that the non-stick coating works exceptionally well, so you won't be popping a butter knife into the pan to help release your cake.

For this pick, handwashing is recommended. Keep in mind that during testing, we found it was a little trickier to wash near the handles, especially if there was any overflow or crumbs wedged between the handle and the base.

Price at time of publish: $25

Product Details: Size: 12.2 x 2.5 x 11.2 inches | Material: Carbon steel

Adding a Bundt pan to your kitchen pantry is an affordable way to boost your ability to create intricate cakes without much-added effort. The Nordic Ware Platinum Collection Anniversary Bundt Pan is the best Bundt pan because it yielded consistent results during testing and we felt that it will hold up over time.

To find the best Bundt pans, we purchased 11 different models and tried them out in our testing lab in Birmingham, Alabama. We tested two recipes over our testing period, baking a cake and a jello mold. We evaluated the pan based on a predetermined methodology for four categories: ease of use, performance, cleaning, and durability.

To start, we were tasked with cooking two recipes in each pan to judge ease of use. We used the same volume of ingredients for each pan and tested how easy it was to pour ingredients and maneuver the pan in and out of the oven. The performance indicator measured how well the recipes turned out in the pan, testing for doneness and other cooking indicators.

Once the cooking was complete, we thoroughly washed the pan to test for ease of cleaning. Finally, we reviewed the durability of the materials by scratching each pan gently with a butter knife. The goal was to emulate what it's like to remove baked goods from the tins and simulate general wear and tear.

Most Bundt pans hold around 10 to 12 cups of batter, which is the standard size for most recipes. While using a Bundt pan, be sure to follow the recipe and never fill the mold up to the top. Otherwise, you’ll end up with overflow and a mess to clean.

When it comes to size, you’ll also want to consider the dimensions, as well as if there are any built-in handles. Though these pans are fairly compact to begin with, some may have a larger width and be harder to store.

Most Bundt pans are made with aluminum or coated steel. These materials are sturdy and conduct heat evenly and efficiently, resulting in a well-done cake. Though silicone is less scratch-resistant, we found that it's floppy and difficult to handle, and can produce a very uneven bake and is floppy and hard to handle.

The USA Pan Bakeware Nonstick Fluted Tube Cake Pan worked adequately in our baking tests and yielded a plain-looking, evenly cooked cake that popped right out of the mold. This was scratched most easily of all the pans we reviewed; any mark was almost like drawing with a pencil. Since it's so fragile, this pan will indeed get scratched and dinged from everyday wear. Due to the durability test, this pan failed to earn a top spot on our list.

According to our tests, the Calphalon Classic Bakeware 10-Inch Nonstick Fluted Cake Pan was tough to maneuver and invert once the cooking process was completed. There are no handles or grips on the pan, so it was an awkward process getting the hot pan out of the oven and then flipped over correctly. As soon as the proper flipping was achieved, the cake did pop out nicely and was evenly browned, with fluting that's nice but not overly decorative. Thankfully in our durability test, not every scratch left a mark on this pan.

The only non-metal option on our list is the Lekue Red Silicone Deep Savarin Baking Mold. It is crafted from silicone, which is more scratch-resistant than other materials. It fared the worst in our cooking tests, resulting in a very unevenly baked cake that looked and tasted off. Some areas were very brown, while others were barely done, showcasing the benefit of a metal pan.

When it comes to choosing bakeware, it's important to keep in mind that there's a difference between a typical sheet pan and a round pan for Bundt cakes.

"Bundt pans have fluted edges (there are many different patterns) and a hole in the middle, whereas a regular baking pan has no hole or edging, " explains Pattap.

The price of a Bundt pan can be impacted by both the size and material. Typically, you can expect to spend around $18-$50, more or less.

"Many are not that expensive, and they’re a nice addition to every kitchen," says Pattap.

Maya Polton is a freelance writer who loves to cook and bake. Her oldest son claims to not like cake except for one particular chocolate cake his grandma makes for him in a Bundt pan. For this story, Maya referred to testing insights from our Birmingham, Alabama testing lab. She also consulted with Jen Pattap, baker and founder of Piece of Love Pastries.