Nordic Ware Original Bundt Pan 12-Cup Review: Still the Gold Standard?
Nordic Ware invented the Bundt pan in 1950, and the Original 12-Cup in Graphite is the direct descendant of that design — a 1.8-pound cast-aluminum pan with a premium PFAS-free nonstick coating that holds a 4.8-star average from more than 8,500 Amazon ratings. Wirecutter recommends the Nordic Ware Original as the best Bundt pan after head-to-head testing, and the brand has won America's Test Kitchen approval in every bundt pan review they've run. The short version: this pan produces beautiful, evenly browned cakes for under $35 — but only if you grease it correctly every time and never put it near a dishwasher.
Product Overview
The Nordic Ware Original Bundt Pan is the company's core bakeware offering — the pan that popularized Bundt cakes at the 1966 Pillsbury Bake-Off, when a Bundt recipe placed second and sent demand skyrocketing overnight. The B000HM9UDO Graphite variant is the main Amazon-stocked version; the same mold ships in various colors (natural aluminum, bronze, other seasonal colorways), but the underlying pan is identical.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 12 cups |
| Diameter | 10.5 inches |
| Height | 3.8 inches |
| Material | Cast aluminum |
| Nonstick coating | Premium silicone, PFAS/PTFE-free |
| Oven-safe | Up to 400°F |
| Weight | ~1.8 lb |
| Origin | Made in USA |
| Warranty | 10 years |
| Dishwasher-safe | No |
The pan works for standard Bundt and tube-style cakes, pound cakes, pull-apart monkey bread, and gelatin molds. Fill no more than three-quarters full to prevent overflow — that's a firm limit with a 12-cup pan, not a suggestion.
Performance & Real-World Use
The cast aluminum body is the functional heart of this pan. Aluminum conducts heat more uniformly than stamped steel or tinplate, which means the cake browns from the outside in — even fluted sides, an even crust on the bottom, no pale flanks or overdone peaks. America's Test Kitchen's equipment testing found that Nordic Ware's cast aluminum pans produced the most even browning and the most precisely defined ridges when compared against competing materials.
Taste of Home's hands-on baking test found "a clean release with nearly perfect results and zero assistance needed" when the pan was properly prepped. That qualifier — properly prepped — is everything. The rule: coat every crevice with vegetable shortening or a baking-specific spray containing flour (not plain oil spray), then dust with flour. Standard cooking spray by itself leaves a gummy residue that anchors the cake to the pan. Skip this step or rush through it and you will lose part of your cake to the fluting. This isn't unique to Nordic Ware — it's a fundamental property of any deeply-ridged nonstick pan — but it is the source of nearly every one-star review the Original has received.
The nonstick surface is robust under proper care. Hand-wash with warm soapy water after each use, no abrasive pads, no dishwasher. Long-term users in baking forums consistently report that pans run through the dishwasher begin to stick unpredictably within a year. The same users who hand-wash report decades of reliable performance.
- Even heat distribution throughout. — Cast aluminum eliminates the hot spots that cause uneven browning in lighter-gauge pans — the defining performance advantage of this material.
- PFAS/PTFE-free nonstick. — The silicone-based coating skips fluoropolymers, which matters to an increasing number of home bakers concerned about chemical exposure.
- Made in the USA. — Nordic Ware has manufactured Bundt pans in Minneapolis since 1950 — an unusual distinction for mass-market bakeware at this price.
- 10-year warranty. — Substantially longer than most competitors offer; reflects the manufacturer's confidence in the casting quality.
- Versatile beyond Bundt cake. — Functions as a tube pan for angel food cake variations, a mold for gelatin desserts, and a vessel for pull-apart breads.
- Under $35. — Cast aluminum bakeware at this price is rare — comparable-quality pans from boutique brands routinely cost two to three times as much.
- Prep is non-negotiable and unforgiving. — Regular cooking spray (oil only) leaves a sticky film. Every bake requires either vegetable shortening plus flour, or a baking spray that contains flour. Skipping this is the root cause of nearly all sticking complaints.
- Not dishwasher-safe. — The nonstick degrades in the dishwasher's heat and detergent environment. This is a hand-wash-only pan; households with a firm dishwasher-for-everything policy should know this before buying.
- Standard ridges, not the deepest. — America's Test Kitchen specifically recommends the Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt Pan over the Original, citing the Anniversary's deeper, more dramatic ridges for better visual cake definition and its larger handles for easier maneuvering.
- 400°F oven limit. — Some recipes call for higher temperatures; competing pans and stoneware options handle more heat.
- One color per listing. — The Graphite variant is the standard Amazon-available version; other colors and finishes exist across Nordic Ware's lineup but require separate searches.
The Nordic Ware Original 12-Cup earns its 4.8 stars on substance: even heating from cast aluminum, a PFAS-free nonstick coating, US manufacturing, and a 10-year warranty for under $35. The primary limitation isn't the pan — it's the preparation discipline it demands. Follow the greasing-and-flour protocol and hand-wash it, and this pan will produce clean, beautifully defined cakes for years. Ignore those rules and it will frustrate you. **4.5/5** — docked half a point for the strict prep requirements and the oven-temperature ceiling versus premium alternatives; the Anniversary model is worth considering if dramatic ridge definition is a priority.
Sources
- Nordic Ware Original Bundt Pan (B000HM9UDO) — Amazon product page
- Original ProCast Bundt Pan — Nordic Ware official product page
- The Best Bundt Pans — America's Test Kitchen equipment review
- The Best Bundt Pans for Perfect Bundt Cakes — America's Test Kitchen on YouTube
- Nordic Ware wins Wirecutter's best Bundt pan testing — Wirecutter/NYT
- NordicWare Bundt pan — loses its nonstickiness? — eGullet Forums
- 6 Methods for Preventing a Bundt Cake from Sticking — The Kitchn