This Gingerbread Bundt Cake is a moist, warmly spiced cake that’s ideal for the holidays. A simple maple glaze finishes it perfectly, creating a dessert that’s sure to become a seasonal favorite.
If you enjoy the cozy flavors of gingerbread, this bundt cake delivers—soft, tender, and packed with molasses and warming spices. It’s simple to make with everyday ingredients and works well for breakfast, dessert, or a festive treat.
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The Best Gingerbread Bundt Cake
This tested Gingerbread Bundt Cake recipe brings classic gingerbread flavor into a tender cake perfect for Christmas gatherings. Rich with molasses and a blend of spices, it bakes up moist and tender and pairs beautifully with a maple glaze.
Compared with decorating and baking cookies, this bundt cake is quick and forgiving, yet it captures all the familiar gingerbread notes you love. Finish with a simple maple powdered-sugar glaze and, if desired, a scattering of sugared cranberries for a festive look.
Ingredients
- Molasses: the classic base flavor for gingerbread.
- Spices: ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves for warmth and depth.
- Sugars: brown sugar and granulated sugar in the batter; powdered sugar for the glaze.
- All-purpose flour.
- Unsalted butter, softened.
- Milk: whole milk yields the best texture, but any milk or milk alternative will work.
- Large eggs.
- Vanilla extract for balance.
- Pure maple syrup to flavor the glaze.
How to Make Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Use a standard 10–12 cup bundt pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
Cream the softened butter with brown and granulated sugars in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand) on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add molasses, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until combined and scraping the bowl as needed.
With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the milk (beginning and ending with the flour mixture). Mix only until smooth—avoid overmixing.
Step 3: Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake on the center rack for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 4: Top with glaze
Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk to create a smooth, pourable glaze. Pour over the cooled cake and allow it to set. Garnish with sugared cranberries if desired.
Recipe Tips
Prep your bundt pan: grease thoroughly with a nonstick baking spray, or use softened butter or shortening and dust lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
Cool before removing: let the cake set in the pan for about 15 minutes so it releases cleanly when inverted.
Sugared cranberries: briefly simmer cranberries in a simple syrup, let them dry until tacky, then roll in granulated sugar and dry completely before using as a garnish.
Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze individual slices in an airtight container for up to a month.
Alternate use: the batter also makes excellent cupcakes—top them with cream cheese frosting for a different presentation.
More Bundt Cake Recipes
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Eggnog Bundt Cake Recipe with Easy Eggnog Glaze
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Chocolate Ricotta Bundt Cake
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Tiramisu Bundt Cake | Mascarpone & Kahlua
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Pumpkin Bundt Cake (5 Ingredients with Cake Mix)
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Gingerbread Bundt Cake
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Equipment
- standard bundt cake pan (10 to 12 cup)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup molasses
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup milk
Maple Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- sugared cranberries (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a standard bundt cake pan very well with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, molasses, and vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves, and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the ¾ cup milk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack for 55–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
- When cooled, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk to reach desired glaze consistency. Pour over the cake and garnish with sugared cranberries if desired. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Prep Your Bundt Pan: use nonstick spray or butter/shortening and a light dusting of flour to prevent sticking.
- Cool the Cake in Pan: let it rest 15 minutes in the pan before inverting so it retains shape.
- Sugared Cranberries: simmer cranberries briefly in simple syrup, let them dry until tacky, then roll in granulated sugar and dry fully before using.
- Storage: refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to one week, or freeze slices up to one month.