How to Get Cake Out of Pan

Learning how to get cake out of a pan is easy! If your cake is stuck in the pan, following these steps will help you take it out in no time without breaking, sticking, or cracking. If you would rather watch a video than read, there is a link to my YouTube video at the end of this article, too.

How Long Should a Cake Cool Before Removing from the Pan?

Although it seems counterintuitive, you actually don’t want to let cake layers cool completely before removing them from the pan. In fact, I have found that if you let the pans cool down completely, it’s actually hard to take the cake out. So, I recommend:

• Let a Cake Cool for 20-30 minutes before removing from the pan

You want the pans cool enough so that you can hold them around the edges with no problem. However, if the bottom is still too hot to hold comfortably for more than 30 seconds, that is OK–you want the pan cool enough to handle, but not completely cool.

How to Get Cake out of Pan

Like I said, removing a cake from the pan is easy. The main focus of this article is for taking a cake out of a round pan, not a Bundt or 9×13 pan, but at the end of this article I will give you some suggestions for those types of pans, too.

What You’ll Need:

• A Plate that is Larger than the Pan – You are going to turn the pan upside down and out onto the plate, so make sure that the plate is at least as wide as the pan, if not wider.
• Plastic Wrap – This is so that the cake layer won’t stick to the plate.
• A Knife – I always use a butter knife

Steps

Cool for 20-30 Minutes – Like I said, you want the cake to be cool enough to handle, but not cooled completely.

Put Plastic Wrap on the Plate – Put a piece of plastic wrap on top of the plate. Just let it rest on top – no need to wrap the plate in plastic wrap.

Insert a Knife Between the Cake and the Pan – I suggest using a butter knife since it’s thick without being too thick, but almost any type of knife would probably work. In the video I say to put the blade towards you, but that isn’t absolutely necessary.

Drag the Knife Around the Pan – Slowly drag the knife between the cake and the pan, taking the tip and gently pushing it slightly under the cake layer. This will help release what will soon be the top of the cake layer from the bottom of the pan.

Place the Plate on Top of the Pan, Plastic Side Down – Like I said, the plate needs to be at least as wide as the pan, if not wider.

Use Both Hands to Grab the Plate-and-Pan as One – I usually put my thumb underneath the plate and my fingers on top of the pan.

In One Motion, Flip the Plate-and-Pan so that the Plate is now On Top – Moving at the wrist, flip everything upside down.

Usually, simply flipping the pan upside down will make it fall out of the pan. When this happens, you will be able to literally hear it release from the pan.

Cake is Still Stuck in Pan

After going through the previous steps, sometimes a cake will be stubbornly stuck in the pan. To remove it:

• Tap On the Bottom of the Pan

or

• Still Holding the Plate-and-Pan together, Shake Gently

As you can see in the video linked at the end of this article, my cake didn’t fall out of the pan immediately. I had to tap on the pan and then shake it to get the cake to release, so don’t panic if you need to give your soon-to-be dessert another little nudge to come out.

I Still Can’t Remove the Cake from the Pan

If the cake still won’t come out:

1. Drag the Knife Around the Edge Again – Maybe you didn’t loosen it completely.
2. Shake Again – Sometimes cakes can be a bit stubborn.

If that doesn’t work, try reheating the pan:

1. Bring a cup of water to a boil in the microwave – This should take 1-2 minutes.
2. Leaving the cup of water in the microwave, place the pan on top of the cup of hot water – Make sure the cup is big so that you can balance the pan easily.
3. Close the microwave door let the cake sit for 5-10 minutes – DO NOT turn the microwave “ON.”

Reheating the pan should cause the cake inside to expand and contract enough to make it easier to remove. Once the pan is reheated, repeat the steps from the original procedure.

How to Keep Cake From Sticking to the Pan

Although learning how to get cake out of a pan is helpful, it’s also good to know how to keep the cake from sticking to the pan in the first place. Here are a few tips to make it easier for you to remove cakes from their pans:

• Prep Your Cake Pans – I always butter and flour my pans generously. For one 8-inch pan, I use about 1/4 Tablespoon of butter to coat the pan. I then put about 1 Tablespoon of flour in the pan, then shake the pan to move it around and coat the pan.
• Line the Bottom of your Pans with Parchment Paper – I personally don’t do this, but many do. Cut out a piece of parchment paper and but it in the bottom of your pan, then butter and flour it as if it were part of the pan. However, be sure to NOT use wax paper since wax paper is NOT oven-safe.
• Don’t Let Your Pans Cool Completely Before Removing the Cake – As previously stated, I recommend taking the cake out of the pan about 20-30 minutes after it comes out of the oven. If you wait until the pan is cooled completely, it will be much harder.

How to Get a Bundt Cake Out of the Pan

Although a round, 8-inch pan and a Bundt pan look completely different, the process for getting a Bundt cake out of the pan is the same:

1. Prep the Bundt Pan – Butter and flour generously.
2. Cover a Plate with Plastic – Once again, make sure the plate is at least as wide as the opening of the pan, if not slightly wider.
3. Place the Plate on Top of the Bundt Pan, Plastic Side Down – Like I said, the process is the same.
4. Grab both the Plate and the Pan at the Same Time, then Invert them – Normally, the cake will fall right out.

Just like with a round pan, if your cake doesn’t come out of the Bundt pan on the first try, follow the second set of steps.

How to Get a 9×13 Cake Out of the Pan

In all honestly, learning how to get a 9×13 cake out of the pan is a bit trickier, but not impossible. I did it when I made my pineapple upside down cake with crushed pineapple and cake mix recipe, so be sure to check out that article and video.

You Will Need:

• Aluminum Foil or Plastic Wrap – I used aluminum foil for my upside down cake, but you could use plastic wrap for a plain cake (if your roll of plastic wrap is wide enough to cover a cookie sheet).
• A Cookie Sheet or Baking Sheet – Make sure that the cookie sheet at least as big as the 9×13 pan, preferably slightly bigger.

Procedure:

1. Prep the 9×13 Pan – Honestly, I don’t butter and flour 9×13 pans. I just butter then generously.
2. Cover a Cookie Sheet with Aluminum Foil / Plastic Wrap – Make sure the foil is wide enough to cover the cookie sheet. You may need use multiple pieces of foil.
3. Place the Foil or Plastic Covered Cookie Sheet On Top of the Cake – Covered side down.
4. Use Both Hands to Flip the 9×13 Cake Upside Down – a 9×13 pan is a lot heavier than an 8-inch one, but it can be done. Once again, refer to my pineapple upside down cake video for a visual.

The cake should fall out of the pan and onto the cookie sheet. If not, tap the pan or shake it.

NOTE: Lifting the 9×13 pan off of the cookie sheet may be difficult, so inset a knife between the pan and the cookie sheet. Use the knife as a lever to get your fingers under the pan to lift it off.

YouTube Video

Be sure to watch my YouTube video tutorial:

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