Christmastime isn’t right in our home without a Gingerbread Bundt Cake. Moist and delicious, this cake doesn’t need a frosting or any fancy decorating. It’s perfect just as it is with a cup of hot tea.
The smells and flavours of gingerbread is something that Christmas cannot do without. As a matter of fact, anytime in the two months leading up to Christmas is a great time to start infusing your baking with the nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon. All of these spices marry so well together.
This particular bundt cake has very simple ingredients and a very simple preparation technique. My favourite part is the alternating steps between adding the dry ingredients and the boiling water. I rustle up images in my mind of days of yesteryear when a cake recipe such as this would be a Sunday treat for a family – maybe consisting of a mother, a father, a little boy, and two little girls.
In this family, the father works very hard; maybe he’s a farmer. The mother takes care of the home – cooking, cleaning, laundry, chores, etc. The children spend a few hours each day at a one-room school and have a set of chores to do before and after their studies. Or maybe I’ve just watched too many episodes of Little House on the Praire or Road to Avonlea. Either way, I digress.
Did you know that in Medieval England gingerbread was thought to have medicinal properties? I’m not sure if there’s any medical proof to support the thinking behind Medieval England’s beliefs, but I can vouch for the fact that gingerbread makes me feel a whole lot happier!
Gingerbread is perfect at Christmastime. Doesn’t it just bring to mind thoughts and images of Christmases of your childhood? Gingerbread Bundt Cake, along with gingerbread cookies, were a Christmas staple in our home. Mom always made sure that there was a bundt cake among the rest of her Christmas baking.
It’s a tradition that I cannot seem to let go of. Sure, the fruitcakes and the sugar cookies are a major part of holiday treats as well, but it’s the simple flavours of gingerbread that really makes it feel like Christmastime. And, Dear Reader, it’s never too late to start a holiday gingerbread bundt cake tradition in your home!
One last thing – if you’re invited to participate in a holiday potluck this year, do yourself and your friends a favour and bring this cake. You’ll be the most popular potluck participant for sure! Everyone loves this Gingerbread Bundt Cake!
Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease and flour a bundt pan.
- Sift all dry ingredients with the exception of the baking soda together and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add egg and incorporate into the mixture.
- Add molasses and incorporate into the mixture. Set aside.
- Add the baking soda to the boiling water and stir to dissolve.
- Stir 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture until just combined.
- Stir 1/2 cup of the boiling water into the mixture until the water has been incorporate into the batter.
- Stir 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture until just combined.
- Stir 1/2 cup of the boiling water into the mixture until the water has been incorporate into the batter.
- Stir 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the molasses mixture until just combined.
- Pour batter into bundt pan. Be sure to get the batter into the nooks and crannies of the pan you are using; bundt pans differ greatly in shapes and decorative molds.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool for 30 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Dust with confectioners sugar before serving.
rosemolloy59 says
Looks and sounds amazing Byron, I love those spices too! My favourites. Can’t wait to try it.
byronethomas@gmail.com says
The only bad thing about this cake, Rosemary, is that it’s all gone. Time to make another one! 🙂
foodhuntress2015 says
Simple and delicious. Looks just like the kind of cake that I like. I’d like for you to send me a piece so I can have it with my coffee right now!!!
WhitBit's Indian Kitchen says
BYRON! Oh my gosh, this is such a beautiful cake and picture!
Whitney says
Beautiful cake, Byron!! I need to bake more freakin’ cakes… maybe you’ve inspired me! 🙂
Brian Jones says
The crumb on this looks perfect and those spices really are the very essence of Christmas!
Paige says
What a lovely cake Byron! So perfect for the winter months – I’m thinking a slice of this with a cold glass of milk would be heavenly 😉
Hillary Reeves says
I will live on a medieval farm if I can have this cake, mk?
byronethomas@gmail.com says
LOL – me too!
Mary (The Godmother @ Goodie Godmother) says
This looks beautiful! I love the perfect crumb and the dusting of powdered sugar. Just looking at it makes me feel better!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Thank you, Mary. 🙂
Patti says
Has anyone made this with a vegan modification? If so what did you use? Thank you
Rhonda Fulton says
I love this recipe, the only thing I changed is the cloves, I doubled cinnamon and added an extra tsp of ginger , I added fresh ground pepper instead, I don’t like cloves.