I bake a lot of cakes. It’s kind of my thing. I even have a T-shirt that says, “Real Girls Eat Cake.” Because I want people to know that the reason I eat so much cake is that I’m real, and not because I have a problem. Although I may not be fooling anyone but myself with that shirt.
Anyway, because of all the cake-baking happening in my kitchen, I usually also have a can of Baker’s Joy or a bottle of Wilton’s Cake Release in my pantry because they make such an easy one-step job of greasing and flouring my cake pans, which nearly every cake requires. With a push of a spray nozzle or a swirl of a pastry brush, my pans are covered in seconds and there is never a pile of flour laying around my trashcan.
However, I can be kind of a tightwad, so when my friend, Suzie, sent me the link for a miraculous recipe to make my own “Cake Release”-type product, I was overjoyed. And let me tell you, it works SO much better than Baker’s Joy. And just as good as Wilton’s product at a fraction of the price. I’ve never had a cake slide out so easily, except when using Wilton’s Cake Release! It is very shelf-stable and easy to make, so I encourage you to whip up a batch to keep on hand for your own baking projects.
Miracle Pan Release
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Whisk thoroughly until everything is incorporated and smooth. Store in airtight container at room temperature. To use, dip a pastry brush or impeccably clean fingers into the mixture and spread a thin layer over the bottom and sides of pan(s) for any recipe that calls for “greasing and flouring” your pans.
*Note: you can make any size batch you’d like, just make sure all amounts of each ingredient are equal to each other.
Recipe source: Apron of Grace
Veronica's Cornucopia 
How long can this keep at room temperature?
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You need to know what rancid oil or shortening smells like because you will sure know when you taste it. I don’t think it is necessarily harmful but it will RUIN anything and you have to use vinegar to save the container.
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Thank you, that seems easy enough. I haven’t failed to get a cake to pop out since my early baking days.
But, to know that there’s no need to grease and flour or cut wax & parchment papers is great. Actually, most times, in so anxious to start an recipe, I don’t prep my pans until the end because I dread the process.
Now that I can brush on the last step, it’s more than likely that I will happily bake more cakes than before your great tip.
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Oh I hate greasing and flouring and cutting parchment paper for pans!! Yes, this is so much easier! I hope it helps you out a lot!
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My favourite alternative is a coffee filter in the bottom of the cake pan, although that’s best for small round pans. It works just as well as parchment and it just peels off the cake.
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I found this recipe over 1 year ago & it works perfectly every time. I have always stored firmer than if you left it at room temperature but still works just the same. I usually use a wad of paper towel to grease my pans with it.
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Lost part of the message, It should have read that I have always stored mine in the fridge.
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I store mine in the fridge now too, because I don’t bake enough any more to use it up before it goes rancid! Works great and stores much longer!
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I was wondering like,Farah, how long the pan release will keep at room temp ? thank U ;)
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I’m not sure, I think a few months, but now I keep it in the fridge and it keeps forever! It’s still liquid, just thicker, but works great. So that’s my preference now.
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My uncle gave me this recipe years ago and it really works. His recipe was called “Homemade Pam”, so Miracle Pan Release is probably a better name… no trademark issues! It keeps for at least 3 months if I remember correctly. I had lost his recipe and could not remember the ratio. Now I can start using it again! Thanks for posting!
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Cool!
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Would this recipe be compatible with gluten free flour?
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It would work with Gluten Free Flour.
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I’m wondering if I could get as good a result by using butter and coconut oil instead of vegetable shortening and vegetable oil (which are most likely made from corn, soy, or canola, all oils related trans fatty acids). Time for me to experiment?
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Could you use grapeseed oil instead of the coconut? You’d have to refrigerate it b/c of the butter, and using two saturated fats wouldn’t work the same way – one of them needs to be liquid to make it the right consistency. If you want to take the time to warm it up before using, it would probably work!
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Perhaps replace the vegetable oil with olive oil. That’s what I’ll try! :-)
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Vegetable oil is not good!
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Sorry, I meant to say that Olive Oil is not an option!
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Why would olive oil not work?
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Olive Oil gets rancid. My philosophy is: Cook with Vegetable Oil and eat Olive Oil.
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:)
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Vegetable (canola & corn) oil doesn’t smell or taste bad when rancid, and is usually already rancid upon purchasing! Glen you asked what I’ve been searching the internet for. So, butter or coconut melted, added to the other solid, plus my organic whole grain flour. All in equal amounts made at the time of baking: that’s what I’m thinking. Way more of a hassle, but just might be do-able to maintain health status.
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That is absolutely false. It’s very rare for Vegetable or Canola Oil to go bad. When stored in a cool dry place, like a pantry, it can last over two years. I don’t know anyone that keeps it for two years without using it. I hope readers aren’t hesitating to use Pan Release Mix because they read your false information.
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Olive oil will taint the taste of your cakes
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I’ve used this mix for 25 years. It’s the only pan release I use. It’s foolproof when brushed into the crevices of a detailed designed Bundt Pan.
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I finally found the alternative to spray oil or “grease and flour”. i can’t wait to try this. Thank you veronica.
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Since it has flour in it do you still need to flour pan after applying the mixture? Also if the recipe does not call for flouring pan can you still use this like when you make brownies etc.?
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You do not have to add anything else after brushing the pan. Use it for any sweet baked recipes, not savory.
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Thank you!
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How long can this mixture be stored at room temp?
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In response to refrigeration, I’ve kept it up to 8 months. I think it could stay longer. I know some people don’t refrigerate it, but I do, with great success.
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Thanks for your input! I refrigerate mine now too since I don’t bake as much and it stays fresh much longer!
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Ack, I’m not certain but I think at least a month or two. It does seem to go off after a while but can’t remember how long.
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Hi,
Thank you so much for this post I can’t wait to use this recipe i recently got myself into baking and all you need to know is :my husband is on a cake diet for now ! I can’t get my hands on vegetable shortening we don’t have it where I live unfortunately, what can replace it with?
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Butter will probably work, but keep it refrigerated for a longer shelf life.
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Can I use this if a recipe requires me to only grease the cake pans? Or is it only used for “greased and floured” cake pans? :)
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It’s great for both. You can’t use it on savory dishes, but any sweet dish……. I use it exclusevily.
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that should be “exclusively”
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Terry, I’m curious about why it can’t be used on savory dishes.
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I’ve only had one cake that this stuff made it stick worse, and that was a very fatty & sugary carrot cake. That cake is such a pain in the butt, I have to line even the sides with parchment or wax paper to get it out. But if you aren’t making a freakazoid cake, it should work for any recipe!
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My grandmother taught me this recipe when I was nine. I’ve been using it for 54 years. I use a piece of waxed paper instead of pastry brush. Easier to clean than the brush…just toss in the trash.
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the wax paper was another one of their tricks for cakes. mary nichols( just wise women) still know those tricks.
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butter and flour are a age old thing of your mother or grandmother making cakes
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Can I use straight canola oil? And, just out of curiosity, why is this not able to be used on savory breads, dishes, etc? Seems like it should work for anything.
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The consistency will be different if you don’t use the shortening, but it might work – it’s worth a shot! And you can use it for anything, but it will leave a coating that would be unappealing for yeast breads. For quick breads and cakes, it is mostly undetectable b/c it kind of blends into the batter. You also would not need the flour addition to grease a dish for a casserole and the like – a spray of oil is all you need.
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Veronica has the right answer about the Canola Oil and the reaction to savory dishes. The reason I first started using it was for the intricate detailed patterns in Bundt Pans. The release is perfect. I spent a few years as a cake decorator and it’s the only thing we used for all of our cakes. Butter and flour alone are not effective in the Bundt Pan because the butter has a tendency to burn during baking and makes release difficult.
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Thanks, Terry! I don’t think I’d try it with casseroles. But, I just wondered if there was a difference with the savory breads and yeast breads. You’re right……those pesky bunds pans always need help, and greasing it never seems to do the trick all the time. I especially can’t wait to try this next Easter with my lamb cake mold passed down from my mom….it’s over 50 years old, and those darn ears always want to stay in the pan! I’m hoping I’ll no longer need to use the toothpicks!
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Thanks, Veronica! I should have been more clear….my bad! I was wondering if it was okay to use straight canola oil instead of vegetable oil, then combine with the shortening and flour. I don’t think the consistency would be good at all without the shortening. Yuck! 😄. I bake daily as we own a hunting lodge…..this will make my life just a little bit easier! Fantastic!
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OH sure that would be totally fine! Any flavorless oil would work here.
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would this work if I am using a bundt pan?
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Absolutely! That’s what I use it for more than anything else b/c it works so easily (buttering and flouring a bundt pan is such a pain!) and the cakes come out perfectly.
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Love this! I make it with cornstarch instead of flour. That is what is in Wilton Pan Release
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Are the ratios the same when you use cornstarch instead of flour?
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I have no idea, I’ve never attempted using cornstarch, sorry!
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true mom does that too😃 she taught me to even use sesame paste (tahini) to grease the pan too😊 less calories i guess😁
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Do you use a piece of parchment on the bottom when using this with a regular round cake pan?
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You can, but it isn’t necessary. This truly does the work of a piece of parchment. If you would still like to use parchment, first grease the bottom of the pan with shortening, place the parchment round on top and smooth down, then use your miracle pan release and spread it over the bottom and sides of the pan.
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I have tried several methods & spend a lot of money on new pans just to get my cakes to release perfectly without breaking. This is by far the best tip I have ever used & it’s simple enough to prepare. I baked my favorite two layer yellow cake w/ chocolate frosting last night & my cake looks amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I will be using this recipe for now on😊
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If you grease or spray your pans and coat wit sugar instead of flour your cake will come out clean every time. Ol backer gave me this secret
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I love that trick, especially with quick breads!
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I’ve been using a similar, but simpler, recipe for 30 something years.
1 cup cooking oil
1cup white cake mix.
I usually put a butter wrapper in the bottom of the pan then brush the “cake release” everywhere else.
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I love that it’s made with cake mix! So smart!
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A butter wrapper! Brilliant! I always have them when I’m baking and the sticking occurs in the center where the wrapper would be. Love it!
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Just wondering, can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable shortening in the pan release recipe? Thanks for the Ideal!!
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I haven’t tried it, but I believe it would work well. I don’t think it would stay liquid when refrigerated, but if you try it let me know how it works. If you use refined (regular) coconut oil it should work just the same, and if you used virgin, the only difference would be a slight coconut taste. I hope it works for you!
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This is the best thing to baking since bread flour. I love this. It is most definitely a miracle. I can’t say enough good things about this receipe. Thank you you’re a life saver to my cakes and cupcakes.
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I’m so glad it’s helping so much!
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I’ve tried this twice (once each in bundt pan & tube cake pan)… failed both times using Crisco vegetable shortning. Measured ingredients exactly as published. Use Pam Baking and Wilton in same pans since with no problems. I’m baffled, what am I doing wrong?
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I do not know! The only cake this doesn’t work for is one that is very high in fat and sugar. Regular cakes slide right out.
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Did you use all three ingredients? Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour? Equal parts of each, brushed well into the crevasse of the pan. I have been using it for ove 27 years and cakes release perfectly. I would never use another method. I’m confused about your message.
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If you’re using a spray product, and don’t like the mess it can create on your counter, spray your pans propped up in the dishwasher! No clean-up needed!
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Great thanks
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Just line your pan with non stick foil press into the sides of pan. Comes out easy every time and no pan to wash.
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Love it!!
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Veronica you may be my life saver! I cannot wait to try this with my next cake. It looks like you have the same pans that I use and I get so frustrated with all the time I spend greasing, flouring, AND cutting and doing the same to parchment. Every time I have left out the parchment my cake has stuck to the bottom! Just yesterday I wrote a review on Amazon for the pans saying that I loved the pans except for the extra work to prevent sticking. I can be a little bit of a tightwad also and I just refuse to purchase the “special” Wilton coating. I generally make about two, 3-layer cakes a week and going through the greasing, flouring, parchment process takes a lot of time. I have another cake later this week and I’m going to try this coating! CAN’T WAIT!
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No se le coloca azúcar y esencia de vainilla o huevos?
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