Bundt Pan's Bavarian Roots: History Of A Baking Icon

The Bavaria Bundt pan is a product of Nordic Ware, a company founded by Dave and Dotty Dalquist. The Bundt pan was invented by H. David Dalquist in 1950, inspired by the traditional kugelhopf, a dense, ring-shaped cake. The Dalquists, with their respective backgrounds in metalworking and Scandinavian baking, decided to create specialty bakeware. The Bundt pan was first created for the Minneapolis-based Hadassah Society, a group of Jewish women who wanted to recreate the traditional kugelhopf cake. The pan's unique design, made from cast aluminium, provided a lighter alternative to the traditional heavy ceramic kugelhopf pans.

The pan's design and functionality

The Bavaria Bundt pan is made of heavy cast aluminium, which provides excellent heat conductivity. The pan's heat-reflective exterior ensures cakes are uniformly browned. The interior is coated with a durable non-stick coating, which makes for easy release and cleanup. The intricate geometric patterns of the pan create sharp details on every cake. The pan is also suitable for moulding salads and chilled desserts.

The pan measures 9.1 inches in diameter and holds 10 cups. It is made in the USA and comes with a 10-year warranty.

To use the pan, it is recommended to first hand-wash it with warm, soapy water, and then brush with butter or shortening and dust with flour or cocoa to coat. It should not be soaked for extended periods. The pan should be filled no more than 3/4 full to avoid overflow. Metal utensils, scouring pads, and abrasive cleaners should not be used on the non-stick surface.

The history of the Bundt pan

The Bundt pan, with its distinctive circular shape and fluted sides, is a familiar sight in kitchens across America. But the story of how it came to be is less well known. So, how did this modern innovation come about?

The Bundt pan was invented by H. David Dalquist in 1950. Dalquist was the owner of Nordic Ware, a company based in Minnesota. He created the pan at the request of the Minneapolis chapter of Hadassah, a group for Jewish women. They wanted to recreate a traditional dense, ring-shaped cake called a kugelhopf, which was baked in a heavy ceramic mould with a tube in the centre to aid baking. Dalquist's version was made from cast aluminium, making it lighter and a better heat conductor. He called his invention a "bund pan", from the German word for "bond" or "alliance", and added a "t" to the name, possibly to distance himself from the German-American Bund, a pro-Nazi group.

At first, the Bundt pan was not a huge success. Americans were used to baking cakes in different types of pan, and sales were slow. However, everything changed in 1966 when a Texas woman called Ella Helfrich entered her "Tunnel of Fudge Cake", baked in a Bundt pan, into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest. Her cake came second and soon women across the country were trying to recreate it. Dalquist was inundated with orders and started manufacturing 30,000 Bundt pans a day. Today, more than 70 million households own a Bundt pan.

The company behind the pan

The company behind the Bavaria Bundt pan is Nordic Ware, a Minnesota-based company founded by H. David Dalquist in 1950. Dalquist, a chemical engineer, returned to Minneapolis from his World War II naval duties and, together with his brother, started a small company, Northland Aluminum Products, in the family basement. They cast aluminum into industrial products and some consumer products, including cake pans sold by mail order.

In 1949, Dalquist was approached by three women from the local Hadassah Society, a group for Jewish women, who wanted him to recreate a traditional European cake pan with a tube in the centre. Dalquist cast the pan in heavy cast aluminum and added it to his "Nordic Ware" line of bakeware. He decided to trademark the pan and added a "t" to the German word "bund", meaning "bond" or "alliance", to create the name "Bundt".

Nordic Ware is still a family-owned company, now with three generations involved in the business, and the Bundt pan remains a household staple. The company manufactures the majority of its products in Minneapolis and has expanded its product line to include grilling accessories and microwave products.

Customer reviews

The Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan is a heavy-duty, cast-aluminum pan that is both beautiful and functional. It has a non-stick interior coating for easy release and cleanup, and its heat-reflective exterior ensures cakes are uniformly browned. The intricate geometric design creates a stunning cake, but some customers have noted that it can be difficult to clean.

Many customers have praised the design of the pan, with one saying that their cakes "turn out beautifully every time". The pan's durability and sturdiness have also been commended, with one reviewer noting that it is "very well made" and "easy to clean".

Some customers have found that their cakes have stuck to the pan, despite its non-stick coating. One reviewer mentioned that they had to soak the pan and scrub it to remove residue, while another said that the cake released perfectly after they followed the instructions to brush the pan with butter and dust it with flour.

The size of the pan has also been a point of contention for some customers. A few reviewers mentioned that the pan is "smaller than expected", while others found it to be the "perfect size".

Overall, the Nordic Ware Bavaria Bundt Pan has received mostly positive reviews, with customers praising its design, durability, and ease of use. While there have been some issues with sticking and size, many customers have been pleased with the performance of the pan and the beautiful cakes it produces.

Tips for using the pan

The Bavaria Bundt pan is a beautiful addition to any table, with its crisp, clean geometric patterns and ability to provide sharp detail on every cake you bake. Here are some tips for using this pan to ensure the best results:

• Before initial use and after subsequent uses, hand wash the pan with warm, soapy water. Extended soaking is not recommended.
• Before each use, brush the pan with butter or shortening and dust with flour or cocoa to coat. Alternatively, you can use a baking spray containing flour, but do not use regular cooking spray.
• Fill the pan no more than 3/4 full to avoid overflow. Mixes and recipes may vary, so adjust as needed.
• Metal utensils, scouring pads, and abrasive cleaners should not be used on non-stick surfaces. Instead, opt for silicone or wooden utensils.
• To ensure even baking and browning, use an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the oven racks as needed.
• Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before attempting to remove it from the pan. You can also place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
• For easy release and cleanup, ensure that the pan's interior non-stick coating is maintained properly. You can do this by avoiding metal utensils and abrasive cleaners and by hand-washing the pan with warm, soapy water after each use.
• To enhance the design of your cake, consider dusting it with powdered sugar or creating a glaze to drizzle on top.
• Experiment with different recipes and fillings to find your favourite Bavaria Bundt cake!

Frequently asked questions