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Homemade Baking Spray {Cake Release}

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This recipe for homemade cake release just might be the greatest thing I’ve ever taken away from Facebook.
3 ingredient homemade cake release 1

Although, to be fair to Facebook, I tend to hang out in some pretty nasty groups. Beware of any cake decorating private group. Seriously, listen to a girl who has been there and come out with only half my feelings in tact.

Forget arguing over politics or religion, if you want to see some serious throw-downs, head to a cake decorating group and just wait for a novice to ask a question or dare to share a picture. Yeah, some of the pictures look like they’re straight from Cake Wrecks, but nobody is laughing. It is brutal in there and you’re completely on your own.

Apparently whether or not you cover your cake board is the core of how talented you are as an actual decorator.

There are never-ending arguments over how tall your cake tiers should be, whether your fondant should be purchased or homemade, if you even qualify as a cake decorator if you use molds and on and on and on until my ears are bleeding. But the pinnacle of all arguments in the cake decorator forums are box mix vs. from scratch. DON’T.EVER.ASK.

But every once in awhile, something kind and magical comes out of these groups! I know because it happened to me. Once.

 

It was in November 2012, and I remember the day well. I had opened up my own bakery a few months earlier and had just made my daughter’s birthday cake at home. My grocery shopping trips were few and far between at that point in life, because opening a bakery is TIME-CONSUMING. I had no baking spray in the house, and she wanted an apple bundt cake which is notorious for sticking. Looking back, maybe, just maybe, I was a little too confident in my new role as bakery owner, because I thought if I brushed melted butter in the pan, it would do a good enough job.

IMG_1189

Oh man. I’m still giggling. Three years later and I can barely handle that this was an apple bundt cake made by someone who owned their own bakery!!

Although, she still says that it was the best cake she’s ever had! Dee-licious!!

Which brings me full circle to The Petty Arguments Hall of Fame, otherwise known as Cake Decorating Forums. After the Bundt Cake Fail of 2012, one of the ladies I met on there shared with me this recipe for homemade baking spray. It is ah-mazing!!

Look at these nice clean edges…

cake release layer 1

Even cakes with corners turn out perfectly! What what??!!

cake release layer

One batch lasts forever, costs barely anything and results in perfectly released baked goods! I ended up using it exclusively in the bakery and at home and haven’t looked back since! It works great for anything you have to bake; cakes, brownies, cookies, etc. It doesn’t really work the best for no-bake treats like rice krispie treats. It still releases them perfectly, but they have a little bit of a flour aftertaste, so I make sure to just use it for baked goods!

Homemade cake release recipe 1

Homemade Baking Spray {Cake Release}

Save money by whipping up your own homemade baking spray!

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  1. Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
  2. Store in an airtight container (I use a Mason jar). When ready to use, brush onto pan with a pastry brush.
 

Supplies Needed:

Shortening
Flour
Vegetable Oil
Mason Jar
Pastry Brush

I used this homemade cake release for all of these recipes and just look at those beautiful edges!

Strawberry Lemon Cake- A Turtle's Life for Me

Lemon Cream Layer Cake with Strawberries

andes mint frosted brownies- A Turtle's Life for Me

Fudgy Andes Mint Brownies

3D cutout animal sugar cookies

3-D cookies

Cookie dough brownies rich and fudgy

Cookie Dough Brownies

All because of this wonderful recipe!!

Homemade Cake Relase Recipe

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Desserts Make the World a Better Place – My Serendipity

Monday 16th of March 2020

[…] Homemade Baking Spray {Cake Release} […]

Trudy

Thursday 11th of October 2018

After you Smear that magic cake pan release, do you still have to put flour on the pan?

Natalie

Monday 29th of October 2018

Nope! You don't need to do anything else to your pan after you brush on the cake release!

Helen

Wednesday 3rd of October 2018

I have to say I was a bit "sceptical" but it WORKS!!! Thank you..

Natalie

Monday 29th of October 2018

I was totally skeptical at first too! I really was! And then I couldn't believe how well it worked and continues to work all these years later!

Sheryl

Sunday 19th of November 2017

Hi..what about pizza dough can I use it for that..thank you

Natalie

Monday 20th of November 2017

I've never tried it with pizza dough, but I imagine it would work since it's cooked.

Sophie

Friday 25th of August 2017

This stuff is AMAZING! Came across this on Pinterest and so glad I made up a batch. After some major bundt maladies, this stuff worked like a dream. I turned the tin over and my chocolate orange cake slid out straightaway. All the ridges were so well defined - thanks so much for posting ☺☺☺

Natalie

Tuesday 29th of August 2017

Hooray!! SO glad to hear that! This is pretty much all we used when I owned a bakery, and all of our bakes came out of the pan every single time! It works perfectly!