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Culture & Lifestyle • Food

Bundt Cake

A Bundt cake is a cake baked in a Bundt pan, which gives it a distinctive ring shape with a hole in the middle.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

A Bundt cake is a cake baked in a Bundt pan, which gives it a distinctive ring shape with a hole in the middle. The term refers more to the pan and the cake’s shape than to any single recipe. Bundt cakes are associated with European ring cakes such as Gugelhupf and became especially popular in North America in the mid-20th century.

History

Bundt cakes are linked to older European ring cakes, particularly Gugelhupf, which share the same central‑hole shape. The modern North American Bundt pan and the name “Bundt” were popularized in the mid‑20th century.

Characteristics

The defining feature of a Bundt cake is the pan it is baked in, which creates a ring form with a central chimney and decorative fluting. Because of this, the term describes a style of cake rather than a single recipe.

Bakeware and naming

The word “Bundt” became widely known through Nordic Ware’s bakeware branding, but today it is used more broadly for cakes baked in this style. The name is connected to German‑language terms related to gathering or ring cakes.

Variations

Bundt cakes may be made with many kinds of batters, including rich butter cakes, chocolate cakes, citrus cakes, and other flavoured cakes. Recipes vary widely by region and household tradition.

Key facts

  • Bundt cake is defined primarily by its shape, not by a specific formula or flavour.
  • A Bundt pan typically has a hollow centre and fluted sides, producing the cake’s ring form.
  • The style is inspired by older European cakes, especially Gugelhupf.
  • In North America, Bundt pans were popularized in the 1950s and 1960s by Nordic Ware.
  • The term “Bundt” was originally associated with trademarked bakeware before becoming a common generic descriptor.
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Canadian context

Bundt cakes are familiar in Canadian home baking and cookbook traditions through the same North American bakeware and recipe culture that popularized them in the United States.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Bundt cake?
A Bundt cake is any cake baked in a Bundt pan, which gives it a ring shape with a hole in the middle.
Is Bundt cake a specific recipe?
No. The term refers mainly to the cake’s shape and the pan used, not to one fixed recipe.
Where did Bundt cake come from?
Its design is inspired by European ring cakes such as Gugelhupf, while the modern North American Bundt pan was popularized in the mid-20th century.
Why is it called Bundt cake?
The name comes from “Bundt,” a term associated with Nordic Ware’s trademarked bakeware and German-language ring-cake traditions.
What does a Bundt pan look like?
It is a round pan with a hollow centre and fluted or decorative sides.
Can any cake be a Bundt cake?
In common usage, yes—if it is baked in a Bundt pan, it can be described as a Bundt cake.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundt_cake
    Supports: Defines Bundt cake as a cake baked in a Bundt pan; notes its shape-based definition, European inspiration, and North American popularization by Nordic Ware.
  2. Dr. Oetker — https://www.oetker.com/stories/bundt-cake
    Supports: Describes Bundt cake as a shape-based term, links it to Gugelhupf and other European ring cakes, and explains the pan’s grooved sides and central hole.