Shortening Substitutes for Bundt Pans

• Several substitutes for shortening can be used in Bundt pans. Eising/Photodisc/Getty Images

  The unique shape of Bundt pans makes it important to properly grease them before use. If the pan isn't lubricated enough, your cake can stick to the ridges and be difficult to remove without being ruined. Shortening is commonly used to grease Bundt pans. If you don't have any shortening handy, there is no need to panic. There are several other things that can be used as a substitute to grease a Bundt pan.

Butter

• Butter is the grease most commonly substituted for shortening. It also has a versatile flavor that should work well with almost any kind of cake. The texture of butter is somewhat similar to shortening. This similar texture lets you use the same methods to spread it in the Bundt pan as you would use for shortening. To apply butter to a Bundt pan, put some on a paper towel then spread the shortening around the pan until the surface is fully coated. This same method can be used to apply all of the substitutes discussed.

Margarine

• Margarine is similar to butter, but with a slightly different flavor. The difference in flavor between butter and margarine is similar to the difference between regular and diet soda. They're alike enough to be substituted for each other but margarine is not as rich and creamy as butter. The benefit of using margarine is that it's healthier for you than butter. According to HealthCastle.com, margarine has much less saturated fat than butter, as well as no cholesterol. For many people, these health benefits make up for the flavor difference between margarine and butter.

Vegetable Oil

• Vegetable oil is a common lubricant that works with Bundt pans. While vegetable oil is a liquid and shortening is a solid, oil can be spread in a Bundt pan nearly the same way as shortening. Avoid using too much or waiting too long to pour the cake batter. The oil can drain to the bottom of the pan and form pools that will ruin your cake.

Cooking Spray

• Greasing your Bundt pan with cooking spray is very similar to using vegetable oil because most cans of cooking spray contain some vegetable oil. It can be more effective than regular vegetable oil because some cooking sprays also contain a small amount of flour to prevent sticking. Cooking spray can have some difficulty reaching parts of the Bundt pan, so take extra care to make sure the surface is completely covered. Like liquid vegetable oil, cooking spray can also have problems with pools forming in the bottom of the pan. Wipe away any extra spray with a paper towel.

Lard

• Animal fat rendered as lard can be substituted for shortening. Lard should not be used with sweet cakes, but it can add a lot of flavor to savory cakes. While lard isn't the healthiest choice, Regina Schrambling of Slate.com says that shortening contains trans fats while lard does not. These trans fats actually make shortening more unhealthy than lard.