Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake is a spectacular gingerbread cake iced with a thin sugar glaze ~ this delicious Christmas coffeecake is guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit.
gingerbread bundt cake for breakfast, brunch, or tea
Not being into elaborate desserts has its perks…like bundt cake, for instance. Since I don’t indulge in rich layer cakes or over-the-top treats very often, I feel more than entitled to enjoy the occasional bundt cake. If it’s breakfast worthy, all the better.
There’s nothing more luxurious, if you ask me, than waking up to a seriously hot cup of strong coffee and a little slice of something like this glazed gingerbread bundt cake.
The cake itself has a fine crumb, and is a little more lightly spiced than some gingerbread, making it a good choice if you like your winter spices on the mild side. The glaze forms a sweet, crackly crust, much like on a glazed doughnut. It’s all very very good.
what you’ll need for this simple gingerbread bundt cake
- flour
- butter
- cornstarch
- baking powder, salt
- ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg
- vegetable oil
- sugar, both granulated and confectioner’s for the glaze
- eggs
- molasses
- half and half ~ you can use buttermilk or milk if you prefer.
what exactly is gingerbread?
The basic category of gingerbread baked goods means that they are made with ginger (either fresh, candied, or ground,) other spices, and molasses. That makes up the flavor profile that can become a cake, or soft or crunchy cookies, depending on the other ingredients and how it is baked. The flavor can be sweet and mellow, like this bundt cake, or quite spicy and peppery. Gingerbread has been around since the Middle Ages!
my gingerbread cake is better than Starbucks gingerbread loaf, and prettier too
This cake isn’t too sweet, and not super rich, either. If you like your cake a little sweeter you could definitely do a thicker drizzle. As is, the cake is perfect for breakfast or a mid morning coffee break. I actually had a Starbucks gingerbread loaf for breakfast the day I made this cake, and I can tell you, categorically, this cake is way better.
the glaze is the final sweet step
I had to pull myself away from shooting this pretty cake in order to take my obligatory taste test. I always like to do that while my cakes are still warm from the oven. That’s the nice thing about a simple glaze like this one, you can apply it while the cake is still hot. Just give the cake 10 to 15 minutes to cool in the pan, and a few more after you turn it out.
TIP: I apply several light layers of a simple sugar and water glaze with a pastry brush ~ the first layer sinks right into the warm cake, and the subsequent layers build on each other to form a nice sweet crust.
pan prep for bundt cakes is key
One note ~ be sure to prep your bundt pan well, especially if it’s an intricate one, like mine. I brushed mine with melted butter and then dusted it with flour. My pan is from Nordic Ware, and I love it because the pans are heavy and cook evenly. Mine is called Stained Glass. Its intricate lines are good for light glazes like this one, or a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder that will highlight the pattern. The right bundt pan can make a cake look spectacular with no effort or design skill on your part!
can you make this gingerbread cake in a different bundt pan?
Yes, absolutely. If you have a different pan, this will work. Mine is 10 1/4 in diameter, and a 9 1/2 cup capacity, so just make sure your pan is large enough for this batter.
The bundt pan I use
My gorgeous gingerbread bundt cake is all about the pan. This pretty 9 cup pan from Nordic Ware creates an intricate pattern on the surface of the cake that just begs to be glazed. (It’s already become a fall and holiday tradition in our family.) I like to gift this pan, too.
Add The View from Great Island as a Trusted Google Source
Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Video
Equipment
- 9-cup bundt cake pan
Ingredients
pan prep
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- flour
cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3/4 cup half and half (you can also use buttermilk or milk)
glaze
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- 5 Tbsp water, approximate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Prep your bundt pan by brushing with melted butter and then dusting with flour. Be sure to get in all the crevices.
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and spices together in a bowl.
- Cream the butter and oil together with the sugar. Blend in the eggs and molasses.
- Add the dry ingredients alternating with the half and half, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until thoroughly combined, but don't over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or just until done in the middle…you can check with a toothpick.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then gently loosen the edges and carefully invert onto a cooling rack.
- Whisk the confectoner’s sugar with the water to form a smooth glaze. Paint the glaze onto the cake with a pastry brush. The first layer will sink right in. Brush on 2 more layers to build up the glaze. (This makes a little more glaze than you will probably need, but better to be safe than sorry.)
Notes
- Make a thicker glaze using milk or cream for a sweeter cake.
- Substitute maple syrup for the water in the glaze, then thin with water if necessary.
Nutrition
don’t save gingerbread just for the holidays!
Gingerbread is a favorite of mine…the scent of that particular spice mix plus the molasses just screams the holidays to me. But I start enjoying it the minute fall hits…
- Gingerbread Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Homemade Gingerbread Ice Cream
- Favorite Chewy Ginger Cookies
This cake is beautiful. I love your pan! I made this the other day and the flavor was good. However, I found it to be very dry. I baked it at 40 minutes. I had baked a few other things before this and they actually took longer to cook, so I don’t believe it was my oven temp. However, like I said, the flavor was good. So, will probably try again. I found some other recipes like this that had apple sauce in it, so may somehow incorporate that into into it for more moisture and put the glaze on when still hot to soak in a bit.
Hey Sue – If I added candied ginger to the batter, would that be too much goodness???
If you love it, add it!
Hi Where do you add the buttermilk? Thank you
The half and half is added in step 5. You can substitute buttermilk if you like.
What are your thoughts about adding a chopped apple to this? I want an apple bundt with a holiday spin.
You could definitely do it, but it’s a flavor combo that I haven’t considered before…I’d love to know how it turns out if you try!
Looks absolutely Delicious! Will be making for sure! Curious, does this bundt freeze well, of coarse without glaze?
Yes, it will freeze beautifully.
I made this today with Bob’s Red Mill pastry flour instead of all purpose. Last time I made a bundt it was very dense and the pastry flour made this delightfully light. I was curious though, is the cornstarch in the recipe meant to create cake flour? I know that adding corn starch to AP flour is how you can make a substitute.
Everything was delicious. Toddler inhaled it as did I. Thanks!
Glad you loved this cake Natalie, and yes, the cornstarch creates a cake flour effect in this recipe.
Hi there
Im dying to try this
Can I use the Nordic ware Pine forest bundt pan or would it be too small?
I believe both pans have a 9 cup interior capacity Alejandra, so it should work.
This is a gorgeous cake! Is your pan a 9 cup bundt pan? I have both a 12 cup and a 9 cup. Thanks for the beautiful food!
Mine is a 9 cup, Maura.
Hi Sue,
Would this recipe work with your all purpose flour / oat flour combination? Or best to stick with the all purpose for this one?
Thanks!
Kirsten
I’m sure it would be really good with that blend, Kirsten 🙂
I want to make this cake but am wondering how sweet this cake is. 1 cup of sugar doesnt sound very sweet. Most cakes I make have at least 2 cups. I was wondering how much sweeter it would be to add another fcup of sugar.
This is less sweet than a dessert cake, it’s more of a coffee cake. You could double up on the glaze for more sweetness. Not sure how an extra cup of sugar would affect the batter, you might try a smaller increase first.