Festive Gingerbread Bundt Cake is moist, tender and the perfect dessert for the holidays. Topped with a flavorful brown butter maple glaze, you’ll welcome a slice any time of day.
That classic gingerbread flavor always gets me excited for the holidays! A few more of my favorites that you should try are this gingerbread layered cake, warm gingerbread cake with caramel sauce, these easy gingerbread sugar cookie bars, and don’t forget about the soft and chewy gingerbread cookies!
Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe
This warmly spiced gingerbread bundt cake is the perfect show-stopping sweet treat to serve after Christmas dinner! This tasty dessert will be the star of the show wherever it goes. Bundt cakes always look so elegant, and this one is incredibly delicious, too! To really take it to the next level, it’s drizzled with a simple, yet flavorful brown butter maple glaze. For a little extra holiday pizazz, you can also garnish it with cranberries. You can even use sugared cranberries to really impress!
Not only is it super tasty, but it’s easy to make and smells divine as it bakes. It’s sure to put you in a festive holiday state of mind! Brown sugar and molasses give this cake its signature brown color, and also add moisture and sweetness without making it overly sweet. Warming spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and cloves gives this dessert its deep, rich flavor. The brown butter maple glaze is an extra special finishing touch. It smells wonderful, and it adds an extra dimension of flavor! This gingerbread bundt cake is so good, it’s sure to become a new Christmas tradition.
Ingredients in Gingerbread Cake
The simple ingredients in this gingerbread bundt cake recipe are mostly all basic baking staples and ones you probably have on hand. If you don’t have buttermilk, I’ve provided the link to a recipe for homemade buttermilk. Note: exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour so your cake has a nice, tender crumb.
- Sugars: A combination of granulated sugar and dark brown sugar sweeten the cake and add rich complex flavor.
- Baking Essentials: Use baking powder and baking soda for a delicious, fluffy texture.
- Salt: To balance the sweetness and enhance the overall taste.
- Spices: A blend of ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves for the cozy taste of gingerbread in every bite.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk adds moisture and fluffiness to your cake. In fact, the acid in buttermilk actually causes a chemical reaction with the baking powder and soda in your batter, making the whole cake extra fluffy!
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for more richness.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract for best results.
- Vegetable Oil: Helps to keep the cake moist. You can also use another oil variety, if you’d like.
- Molasses: This is the key ingredient for deep, rich gingerbread flavor.
- Eggs: Three eggs will provide stability and structure to the gingerbread bundt cake, and also bind the ingredients together.
Brown Butter Maple Glaze
- Salted Butter: Will make the glaze smooth and rich.
- Pure Maple Syrup: So the glaze has delicious maple flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: Gives the glaze perfect sweetness and a smooth texture.
- Milk: Use 2 tablespoons to get the consistency right.
The Best Molasses to Use:
Unsulphured molasses or dark molasses is best for baked goods. Do not use blackstrap because it is too intense.
How to Make Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Follow a few simple steps, and you’ll have an incredible holiday dessert in no time! This gingerbread bundt cake is a family favorite, and one we enjoy year after year.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the same bowl add the buttermilk, milk, vanilla, molasses, oil, and eggs and beat with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer just until fully combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake bounces back if you gently press on it.
- Cool: Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping it onto a cooling rack. Remove the pan and let it cool completely.
- Make & Add the Glaze: Prepare the glaze by beating the butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth. Then drizzle over the top of the cooled gingerbread bundt cake just before serving.
Tips for Making Gingerbread Cake
This gingerbread bundt cake is quickly becoming one of my favorite desserts for Christmas. It’s very straightforward and easy to make, but keep these simple tips in mind for perfection every time!
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: If possible, set your dairy products and eggs out on the counter 30 minutes before you begin baking. Room temperature ingredients will mix easier with all of the other ingredients, so your cake has the best texture.
- Measure Flour: Be sure to measure out your flour correctly. Adding too much or too little can keep your cake from having the right structure. Spoon it into the measuring cup, and without shaking it, then level off the top with the straight side of a butter knife.
- Don’t Overmix! If you overmix the cake batter, it will come out dense and tough and not be very pleasant to eat.
- Baking Spray: Use a baking spray that has flour in it to spray the bundt pan. This will make the gingerbread bundt cake release easily and then you won’t have to dust the pan with flour, which can leave the outside of the cake looking white. I prefer Baker’s Joy brand.
- Making the Glaze: Be sure to sift the powdered sugar for the glaze. I forgot to and the icing turned out a little lumpy (do as I say, not as I do haha!).
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover bundt cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
To freeze, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in 3-4 layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Then freeze for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Desserts
Christmas is just around the corner! If you’re looking for some new holiday dessert recipes to make this year, here are some of my favorites that you’re sure to love! They’re perfect for parties, holiday potlucks and family get-togethers!
Fudge
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
2 hrs 30 mins
Desserts
Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
30 mins
Cookies
Mexican Wedding Cookies
25 mins
Desserts
Eggnog Cheesecake
8 hrs 15 mins
Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup molasses
- 3 eggs
Brown Butter Maple Glaze
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons milk more as needed
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray.
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In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.
-
To the same bowl add the buttermilk, milk, vanilla, molasses, oil, and eggs and beat with the paddle attachment of a stand mixer or a hand mixer just until fully combined.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake bounces back if you gently press on it.
-
Let the cake cool for 10-15 minutes before flipping it onto a cooling rack. Remove the pan and let it cool completely.
-
Prepare the glaze by beating the butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake just before serving.
Notes
To freeze, wrap the whole cake or individual slices in 3-4 layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
