Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe

This cake is cozy, a little rough around the edges, and exactly the kind of thing you bake when you want your house to smell like autumn for the next three days. It’s a gingerbread bundt: spiced, moist, with a crackly little crust and a glaze that gets sticky in all the right spots. If you like ginger, molasses, and a cake that’s not trying too hard to be fancy, this one’s for you.

My husband basically demands this for anything that could be classified as “special” — birthdays, weird midwinter Tuesdays, the rare Sunday when we both make coffee at the same time. The first winter I made it he ate half a slice and declared it “officially holiday-approved,” which is his highest compliment. The kids dip pieces into coffee (don’t judge) and my neighbor always smuggles a wedge away when she sees me pulling it out of the oven. It’s become our fall/winter default: comforting, forgiving, and oddly celebratory for being so humble.

Kitchen Talk

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I’ll confess: the first time I tried a bundt pan I treated it like any old loaf tin and panicked when half the batter stuck to the ridges. Lesson learned — grease every nook like you’re trying to get that cake out of witness protection. Also, warming molasses slightly makes it pour like a dream and saves you from scraping globs off the spoon. Once I forgot to cool the cake and tried to glaze hot cake; the glaze slid off like it was fleeing the scene. Let it sit. Be patient. And if you ever run out of buttermilk, I have thrown in yogurt and survived.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics (Flour/Sugar/Leaveners): Use all-purpose flour for a tender crumb; check your baking powder/soda dates — old leaveners = sad, flat cake.
– Fats & Oils: Real butter gives flavor; melted butter mixes in seamlessly and keeps texture rich if you’re not vegan.
– Spices: Fresh ground ginger and cinnamon make a big difference — pre-ground is fine, but sniff it first (if it smells faint, replace).
– Eggs: Room temperature eggs mix more evenly into batter; take them out 20–30 minutes before baking if you remember.
– Nuts & Seeds: If you add pecans or walnuts to the glaze or batter, toast them for better flavor and crunch.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Mix the dry ingredients (flour, spices, leaveners) a day ahead and store in an airtight container so assembly is quick.
– Make the glaze or frosting up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate; bring to room temp and whisk before using.
– You can bake the cake the day before and leave it unglazed, tightly wrapped; glaze the morning of serving for fresher texture.
– Store batter? I avoid refrigerating mixed batter because leaveners lose oomph — better to prep components separately and combine when ready.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use a microwave or low heat to loosen molasses and butter for quicker mixing.
– Measure dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk together to save sifting time (works 90% of the time).
– If you’re in a rush, skip fancy decorations: a simple powdered sugar dusting or drizzle of glaze looks great and is fast.
– Use a silicone bundt pan for easier release and less greasing hassle when time’s tight.

✔Common Mistakes

– Not greasing the bundt pan properly — I once used only a spray and mourned the missing cake. Grease + flour or use a buttery spray and be generous.
– Glazing while cake is too warm — glaze will run off. Let it cool to just-warm.
– Overmixing batter — it tightens the crumb; stir until combined and no more. I did this once and had a dense brick; learned to stop at “no pockets of flour.”
– Cutting into it too soon — stuffing the knife in while it’s hot makes it fall apart. Wait 20–30 minutes for easier, cleaner slices.

What to Serve It With

– Scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for decadence.
– Crème fraîche or a tangy yogurt drizzle to cut the sweetness.
– Coffee, chai, or hot mulled cider — classic partners.
– Simple salted caramel sauce for pouring over slices.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use room-temp wet ingredients for even mixing.
– Don’t skip the little tap on the counter after pouring batter to knock out air bubbles.
– If the center is underdone but edges are brown, tent with foil and keep baking a bit longer at a lower temp.
– For shiny glaze, strain it to remove lumps or undissolved sugar.

✔Storage Tips

Wrap cooled, unglazed cake tightly in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days; glazed cake keeps better in the fridge for 4–5 days. Slices freeze beautifully — wrap each slice in parchment and place in a freezer bag. Cold cake is totally fine for breakfast; it’s actually lovely with a smear of butter and a cup of coffee. No shame in sneaking a slice straight from the fridge.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap some or all of the butter for neutral oil if you want a slightly lighter, moister crumb.
– Use molasses for that deep, classic flavor; if you only have dark corn syrup, it’ll work but the flavor is different.
– For gluten-free, replace with a 1:1 GF flour blend and add a teaspoon xanthan if your mix doesn’t include it.
– Make it boozy: brush the cooled cake with a little rum or brandy before glazing. I did this once and instantly became the coolest neighbor on the block.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe

A warmly spiced gingerbread Bundt with a plush crumb and molasses depth, finished with a simple vanilla glaze. Perfect for cozy gatherings and holiday dessert tables.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tbsp softened butter for greasing the pan
• ▢ 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting the pan
• ▢ 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.75 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 2.5 tsp ground ginger
• ▢ 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground cloves
• ▢ 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
• ▢ 0.25 tsp ground allspice
• ▢ 1 tsp finely grated orange zest optional but lovely
• ▢ 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 0.75 cup packed dark brown sugar
• ▢ 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 0.75 cup unsulphured molasses
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• ▢ 0.5 cup hot water
• ▢ 1 cup confectioners’ sugar for glaze
• ▢ 1.5 tbsp milk for glaze, plus more to thin
• ▢ 0.5 tsp vanilla extract for glaze

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Heat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest.
• Beat softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each addition.
• Mix in molasses and vanilla until fully combined and glossy.
• Stir in dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with dry.
• Blend in the hot water just until the batter is smooth and pourable.
• Scrape batter into the pan, smooth the top, and tap to release bubbles.
• Bake 45–55 minutes, until a tester comes out clean from the center.
• Cool 15 minutes on a rack. Invert, then cool completely before glazing.
• Whisk confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla until thick but pourable.
• Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake. Let set 15 minutes before slicing.

Notes

For a citrusy twist, swap the milk in the glaze for orange juice. The cake stays moist for 3 days covered at room temperature; for longer storage, wrap slices and freeze up to 2 months.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Gingerbread Bundt Cake Recipe flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.