Not So FAQ’s

We always enjoy interacting with our customers.  This is typically done via social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.), our website (thank you for reading this blog), or one of my favorites, face-to-face at various trade shows, fairs, etc.  The reason I love these events is because the people coming to visit us in our booth are always very excited and passionate about cooking and/or baking.  They want to see and learn about our new products, as well as share their personal stories and ideas.

Part of this interaction involves answering questions about our products.  Obviously, over the years, we tend to get frequently asked questions, which we answer here on our website: www.nordicware.com/faq

However, I love it when we get the not-so-frequent questions.  I thought it would be fun to share some with you:

Q. Why does a Bundt pan have the center post?
A. The center post creates more surface area for the cake batter to contact, as well as increased air(heat) flow around the pan.  This results in more even baking.  It also creates a great place for holding flowers (thanks to ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ for this idea).

It’s a Booont cake!

Q. Do you need a special recipe to use a Bundt Pan?
A. No.  However, a dense batter (like pound cake) tends to have less air bubbles, which allows more design detail to show on the finished cake.  Also, angel food cake batter tends to be sticky, and some of the detail can be lost when removing it from the pan.  Therefore, if a Bundt pan is used, we suggest using a simple design (like our Original or Anniversary Bundts). 

Q. Can you use Bundt pans to make ice cream designs?
A.  Not that I have seen.  Again, some people have mentioned making ice cream molds, but I have never seen one made.  To help release the ice cream from the pan, you have to slightly warm the pan by either dipping it in a water bath, or wrapping a warm towel around it.  Either way, the ice cream would have to be very dense and cold to avoid losing detail during this thawing process.  If you have had success with ice cream, please let us know.

Q.  What is the purpose of the “flutes” on the traditional Bundt pan?
A.  Although the flutes may seem to just provide visual appeal, they also allow for accurate portion control when slicing the cake.   This is great for families as it eliminates the fighting between children (and some adults) over who has the larger piece of cake.

Q. If it’s called “non-stick” coating, then how does it “stick” to the pan?
A. Typically it is done using the following process;  First, the surface of the pan is sandblasted.  This roughens the surface which allows a primer to “grab” on to the pan.  The primer is a special coating that is formulated to bond with both the pan and the non-stick coating.  The non-stick coating is then applied over the primer.

Q.  Is your coating gluten free?
A.  Yes.  It’s also fat-free, sugar-free, trans fat-free, baby whale-free, etc.  You can see where I’m going with this; calling it “gluten free” would just be a marketing tactic.  Wheat (or other grain) ingredients have never been used in non-stick coatings.

Q. A similar question would be, “Is the coating ok to use for gluten free foods?”
A.  Yes.  However, since the coating may contain microscopic pores, gluten protein could possibly remain in the pan, even after washing.  To avoid cross-contamination, it is recommended to keep a dedicated set of pans to use only for gluten-free cooking or baking.    

Q.  Nordic Ware’s logo features a Viking.  Did the Vikings eat Bundt cake?
A.  There are no living eyewitnesses who can confirm or deny this, so therefore we can only assume that yes, the Vikings ate Bundt cake.

Put to the sword those that disagree, and always eat Bundt cake” – Old Viking proverb (probably).