German Choc Bundt Cake -- Any advice welcome!

[MPHenderson]

Well, my rather troublesome experience this weekend with the German Chocolate Bundt Cake (September 00) has caused me to stop lurking on the BBS and POST! I looked through the archive and saw that others had great success with this recipe...so any advice is welcome.

I made this cake TWICE on Saturday in preparation for a family party. On both occasions I could not get the cake cleanly out of the pan...it split in TWO along the struesal filling line.

I am using a cast iron non-stick fluted bundt pan. The first time, I greased the pan and sprinkled it with sugar. as the reciped called for. Could NOT get the cake out! I was thinking that maybe the sugar wasn't such a great idea.

Tried again...this time with more greasing of the pan and flour. Same problem, althought not as disasterous. Almost all of the cake came out of the pan ... top quarter had to be pried out and stuck on by hand. DH and I did further "spackling" with remnants of first try. I was artful with the glaze but it still looked less than festive.

Cake was tasty and went fast (DH was more than happy to have all of first attempt scooped into little serving packets just for him!).

So...where did I go WRONG!? Any advice or sight would be welcome!

[This message has been edited by MPHenderson (edited 01-08-2001).]

[Grace]

I am trying to think what the problem could have been. Did you wait for the cake to cool really well before you tried to unmold it? The other thing you might try, is when you put the filling in the center, try to keep it really in the center - not near the edges of the pan, that way when you put the rest of the batter on top, it will touch the batter on the bottom and bake together, maybe allowing it to hold together better when you try to unmold it. Sorry I don't have any better ideas, but I'm sure someone else will.....(the people on this board are geniuses, you know!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

By the way, welcome to the board. You will soon become addicted like the rest of us - it's kind of like a black hole here - you come in, and you'll never get out again!

[tobykitty]

Okay, I had to check my recipe. It says to cool for 10 minutes and remove and then cool completely. I think this is very important because I seem to recall having a problem similar to yours the last time I made this recipe. It is one of my favorites and I don't usually have the problem, however, last time I pulled the cake out of the oven and went straight to bed. The next morning I had to give it several whacks before it would come out and it was somewhat split. I just thought I had messed up the night before because I was so tired. Well, those are my thoughts. If you give it another try let us know how it turns out and welcome to the board. (I hovered for a while at first also)Lisa

[MrsReber]

I had the same exact problem with this cake, although it was delicious. I would have to agree that it may have something to do with the filling, though. That is exactly how mine split. I don't remember how long I let it cool. I made the cake as a trial run for me and my husband in September. I decided, unfortunately, not to make it for family events since it wouldn't come out of the pan right! I wonder if it'd be any different in a different type of pan?

[HARRYET]

i don't know if this will help, but i always give my pan a shake to loosen the cake when i first take it out of the oven, then let it cool in the pan/cooling rack as directed.

good luck Ann

[chefandi]

When you make this are you making it in a tube pan or a bundt pan?
I just bought a tube pan and was hoping to use it for this recipe and I don't know how to use it! AH! DO I lift the middle piece out or flip it over to release the cake? I don't want to lose any of it by seperating so I was looking for the best way to unmold it from a tube pan. T.I.A

[chefbec]

When you use a tube pan, you just lift then let the cake cool. Once cooled, you run a knife underneath the cake and carefully lift it off.

[jldill]

I made it and it came out of the pan okay. I used a bundt pan, not non-stick. Prepared the pan as directed, spray and sugar. I let it cool for about 15 minutes and loosened the edges a little with a knife. I then placed a cutting board on top and flipped it over.

My only problem was that my dog discovered it on the kitchen table while I was out retrieving my cake container from a friend. He only took a couple small bites, but licked the frosting on about one-third. What remained got great reviews.

[KarenW]

I made the German Chocolate cake today. It came right out of the pan (I was a little worried after reading all the messages about sticking). But it was a little dry. Anyone else have this problem? I followed the recipe and it definitely wasn't over-baked.