Homemade Baking Spray {Cake Release}

This recipe for homemade cake release just might be the greatest thing I’ve ever taken away from Facebook.

Although, to be fair to Facebook, I tend to hang out in some pretty nasty groups. Beware of any cake decorating private group. Seriously, listen to a girl who has been there and come out with only half my feelings in tact.

Forget arguing over politics or religion, if you want to see some serious throw-downs, head to a cake decorating group and just wait for a novice to ask a question or dare to share a picture. Yeah, some of the pictures look like they’re straight from Cake Wrecks, but nobody is laughing. It is brutal in there and you’re completely on your own.

Apparently whether or not you cover your cake board is the core of how talented you are as an actual decorator.

There are never-ending arguments over how tall your cake tiers should be, whether your fondant should be purchased or homemade, if you even qualify as a cake decorator if you use molds and on and on and on until my ears are bleeding. But the pinnacle of all arguments in the cake decorator forums are box mix vs. from scratch. DON’T.EVER.ASK.

But every once in awhile, something kind and magical comes out of these groups! I know because it happened to me. Once.

It was in November 2012, and I remember the day well. I had opened up my own bakery a few months earlier and had just made my daughter’s birthday cake at home. My grocery shopping trips were few and far between at that point in life, because opening a bakery is TIME-CONSUMING. I had no baking spray in the house, and she wanted an apple bundt cake which is notorious for sticking. Looking back, maybe, just maybe, I was a little too confident in my new role as bakery owner, because I thought if I brushed melted butter in the pan, it would do a good enough job.

Oh man. I’m still giggling. Three years later and I can barely handle that this was an apple bundt cake made by someone who owned their own bakery!!

Although, she still says that it was the best cake she’s ever had! Dee-licious!!

Which brings me full circle to The Petty Arguments Hall of Fame, otherwise known as Cake Decorating Forums. After the Bundt Cake Fail of 2012, one of the ladies I met on there shared with me this recipe for homemade baking spray. It is ah-mazing!!

Look at these nice clean edges…

Even cakes with corners turn out perfectly! What what??!!

One batch lasts forever, costs barely anything and results in perfectly released baked goods! I ended up using it exclusively in the bakery and at home and haven’t looked back since! It works great for anything you have to bake; cakes, brownies, cookies, etc. It doesn’t really work the best for no-bake treats like rice krispie treats. It still releases them perfectly, but they have a little bit of a flour aftertaste, so I make sure to just use it for baked goods!

Homemade Baking Spray {Cake Release}

Save money by whipping up your own homemade baking spray!

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup shortening
1 cup vegetable oil

Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
Store in an airtight container (I use a Mason jar). When ready to use, brush onto pan with a pastry brush.