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This Gingerbread Bundt Cake is the perfect holiday showstopper! Moist, fluffy, and loaded with warm spiced flavor, it’s everything you love about gingerbread in a beautifully baked bundt. With just the right touch of sweetness, this cake is perfect for holiday gatherings or cozy evenings at home. Top it with a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of glaze, and you’ve got a dessert that’s as festive as it is delicious.
Holiday Bundt Cake Recipe
Molasses and warm spices give this gingerbread bundt cake that classic and recognizable gingerbread flavor. It’s great for the holiday season! I have made this for Christmas Eve for several years, and it’s always a hit. The secret is the luscious homemade cream cheese frosting. It’s creamy, tangy, and not overly sweet. It’s the perfect compliment to the gingerbread cake. I highly recommend that you try this recipe over classic gingerbread cookies. You still get the traditional flavors but with a twist.
Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe
- Great to make ahead. This is a great recipe to prepare in advance. I like to make the gingerbread bundt cake and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Sometimes I’ll make the frosting ahead, too. You may even put it together right before enjoying the cake, too.
- Easy to prepare. This is a simple yet flavorful cake that even someone who doesn’t bake often can pull off. I have included instructions that are easy to follow so you can prepare this delicious dessert anytime.
- Traditional holiday flavors. The ginger, cinnamon, and molasses create the classic gingerbread flavor that everyone loves during the holidays. It’s a great dessert to make in place of traditional cookies or even in addition to.
What You’ll Need
Here are all of the components needed to make the gingerbread cake and the rich cream cheese frosting. Scroll down to the recipe card below for measurements and more information.
For the cake
- Flour: I just use all-purpose flour in this recipe. I haven’t tried it with any other type of flour like cake flour so I am not sure how it would turn out.
- Baking powder/soda: These are going to guarantee a light and fluffy cake that rises properly. I use both because in this recipe they work together to prevent a dense result.
- Spices: I use ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in the cake batter. The mixture of these spices creates the warm and slightly spicy flavor of gingerbread.
- Canola oil: I add canola oil as the fat in the cake batter. It adds moisture and subtle flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients.
- Brown sugar: The molasses and caramel notes in brown sugar take this bundt cake over the top. It plays perfectly with the molasses you will also add to it.
- Molasses: I find this is the most important ingredient to achieve the right color and flavor in this gingerbread bundt cake. Use unsulphured molasses for the best result.
- Eggs: Just like in other cakes, eggs are important to the structure. They help to bind the ingredients together.
- Vanilla: You don’t typically get a lot of vanilla flavor in this recipe. However, it enhances the other flavors even though it’s subtle.
- Sour cream: For even more moisture, sour cream works great here. It adds a little acidity and tang to balance the sweetness. I promise you won’t taste it!
For the frosting
- Cream cheese: This adds a rich and tangy flavor that pairs well with the spice of gingerbread. Ensure it spends some time at room temperature to soften so your frosting isn’t lumpy.
- Butter: You may use unsalted or salted butter for this frosting. This must be softened as well to make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- Powdered sugar: I love powdered sugar in frosting recipes as a sweetener because it keeps the texture smooth and creamy.
- Milk: A splash of milk helps to achieve the right consistency and prevents it from becoming too thick and hard to spread.
- Vanilla: The subtle vanilla flavor enhances the flavor of the cream cheese perfectly. I love to use pure vanilla extract whenever possible.
How to Make This Recipe for Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Preparing and baking this cake is just as easy as making a cake from a boxed mix. As it bakes, it makes your kitchen smell super festive. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool so you can frost it and serve.
- Prep the oven and bundt pan. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, spray a 9-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Combine the oil, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Whisk until they are well incorporated.
- Add the eggs. Gradually mix the eggs one at a time into the molasses mixture.
- Combine with dry mixture and sour cream. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and sour cream into the egg mixture until the batter is well mixed and smooth.
- Transfer and bake. Pour it into the prepared bundt pan and put it into the oven and bake it for 50-65 minutes.
- Cool. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Combine all of the cream cheese frosting ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stir until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cake and chill. Pour and spread the frosting over the cooled cake and then place it in the refrigerator to set before serving.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. Only mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Overmixing the cake batter will cause it to become dense after it bakes. Gently mix each component to prevent this and keep it light and fluffy.
- Don’t over bake the cake. If the cake stays in the oven too long, it will become dry and crumbly. Only bake it until it’s fully set in the center and the edges are lightly browned.
- Make cupcakes. Scoop the batter into a cupcake tin and bake them for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Use festive cupcake liners to make shareable gingerbread cupcakes for a holiday treat.
Proper Storage
Leftovers should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can also be tightly wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil, with or without frosting and frozen for up to 3 months.
More Bundt Cake Recipes to Try
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Homemade Lemon Bundt Cake
- Brownie Bundt Cake
- Cherry Almond Bundt Cake
- White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake
Gingerbread Bundt Cake
This easy Gingerbread Bundt Cake is perfectly moist and fluffy. It has just the right amount of sweetness and spiced flavor to make it the ultimate holiday dessert
Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9-inch Bundt cake pan with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In another large bowl, beat together the oil, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time until combined.
- Alternating between the two, gradually beat in the sour cream and dry ingredients until combined and smooth.
- Pour the cake mixture into the Bundt pan.
- Bake for 50-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow cooling for 10 minutes before placing onto a wire rack.
Frosting
- Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until combined.
- Carefully pour the cream cheese frosting onto the top of the cake.
- Place into the fridge for an hour before removing and serving.
Last Step:
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Nutrition
Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 63g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 3mg
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2 comments on “Gingerbread Bundt Cake”
Can I bake this in 9/13 square pan?
Hi Maureen. This recipe should work fine with a 9×13 as well.