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The Melting Pot
Bundt Cake hero image coming soon
1950s-present - Nordic Ware, Hadassah Society home bakers, and Pillsbury Bake-Off contestants
Bundt cake is as much about the pan as the batter. Nordic Ware created the Bundt pan in 1950 for home bakers seeking a kugelhopf-style shape, and Ella Helfrich's 1966 Tunnel of Fudge cake sent Bundt baking into American kitchens.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
55 minutes
Total time
1 hour 15 minutes
Servings
12 servings
Region
United States home kitchens and bake sales
Era introduced
1950s-present
Introduced by
Nordic Ware, Hadassah Society home bakers, and Pillsbury Bake-Off contestants
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The Bundt pan made a plain cake look special. The shape comes from European ring-cake traditions, but the American Bundt story runs through Minnesota manufacturer Nordic Ware and the Pillsbury Bake-Off. After the Tunnel of Fudge cake became a sensation in 1966, Bundt cakes became staples of parties, church suppers, and family dessert tables. This version is a simple sour-cream vanilla Bundt with a glaze.
Drafted with Bundt pan history from Food & Wine (https://www.foodandwine.com/news/brief-delightful-history-bundt-pan), Tunnel of Fudge context from Bake from Scratch (https://bakefromscratch.com/origin-of-a-classic-tunnel-of-fudge/), and Pillsbury recipe context (https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/tunnel-of-fudge-cake/8d3b4927-2f71-41a3-9dab-7750f045f252).
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