Go Back

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze

Gingerbread Bundt cake with vanilla glaze is warmly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Baked until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs, then finished with a smooth glaze after cooling.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling and setting 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cake
  • baking spray with flour, for the pan
  • 3 cups flour all-purpose, spooned and leveled
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cloves
  • 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup butter unsalted, 2 sticks, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar light, packed
  • 3 eggs large, at room temperature
  • 1 cup molasses unsulfured, not blackstrap
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
For the vanilla glaze
  • 1.5 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch kosher salt

Equipment

  • 1 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan
  • 1 electric mixer

Method
 

Make the cake
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Thoroughly coat a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
  4. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
  5. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  6. Beat in the molasses and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; mix just until combined.
  8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
  9. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the cake begins to pull away from the pan.
  10. Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes.
  11. Invert it onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Make the vanilla glaze
  1. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
  2. Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake.
  3. Let it set for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Thoroughly coat every curve of the Bundt pan to help the cake release cleanly, and wait until it is completely cool before glazing. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free butter and milk alternatives for the buttermilk and glaze.