The Ultimate Moist & Perfectly Spiced Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Creamy Eggnog Whipped Cream

There’s an undeniable magic to the aroma of gingerbread wafting through the house during the holiday season. The rich, warming spices evoke comfort and joy, making it a beloved classic. While traditional gingerbread cookies hold a special place in our hearts (perhaps alongside these soft and fragrant Lebkuchen!), I’ve always been particularly fond of gingerbread in a more tender, cake form. This recipe celebrates that classic, comforting flavor by transforming it into a truly spectacular dessert: a Gingerbread Bundt Cake.

This isn’t just any gingerbread cake; it’s a moist, perfectly spiced masterpiece that’s surprisingly simple to prepare. It delivers all the warmth and richness you expect from gingerbread, but in a tender, flavorful crumb that’s utterly irresistible. Its impressive presentation makes it an ideal centerpiece for any holiday gathering. Whether you serve this delicious bundt cake simply dusted with powdered sugar for a charming holiday snack or dress it up with generous dollops of homemade Eggnog Whipped Cream (the recipe for which is included below!), this festive dessert is destined to become a cherished tradition in your home.

Why This Gingerbread Bundt Cake Will Be Your New Holiday Go-To

When it comes to holiday baking, we all crave something special that also feels effortless and delivers consistent results. This Gingerbread Bundt Cake perfectly balances festive elegance with surprising ease, making it a dream for both seasoned bakers and beginners alike. Here’s why you’ll absolutely adore adding this recipe to your repertoire, ensuring your holiday dessert table is always a success:

• Unbelievably Moist and Tender: The secret to this cake’s heavenly, melt-in-your-mouth texture lies in its oil-based batter. Unlike butter, which can sometimes lead to a drier or more crumbly result, oil ensures exceptional moisture that is locked into every fiber of the cake. This creates a remarkably tender, rich crumb that remains delightfully moist for days. While it’s best enjoyed on the day it’s baked for peak freshness and aromatic intensity, leftovers can be tightly wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 2 to 3 days, maintaining much of their deliciousness. This makes it an excellent choice for make-ahead holiday preparations.
• Perfectly Balanced Warming Spices: Gingerbread should be a symphony of warm, inviting flavors, not an overwhelming spice bomb. This recipe strikes a beautiful balance with a pronounced yet harmonious blend of key ingredients. We use rich dark unsulphured molasses for depth and characteristic flavor, combined with invigorating ground ginger, comforting cinnamon, deeply aromatic cloves, and subtly peppery allspice. Each spice plays a vital role, contributing to a complex flavor profile that is both traditional and utterly satisfying, without being too sharp or overpowering. It’s truly a gingerbread everyone will love.
• Effortlessly Easy to Make: Forget the fuss of multiple mixing bowls, complicated steps, or specialized equipment. This simple bundt cake batter comes together quickly with just a large mixing bowl and a whisk. No stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer is required, making cleanup an absolute breeze – a true blessing during the busy holiday season. From mixing the batter to a modest 40-45 minute baking time, you’ll have a stunning, professional-looking dessert ready with minimal effort, allowing you more time to enjoy the festivities.
• Flawless Release from the Pan: Bundt cakes can sometimes be notoriously tricky to unmold, leading to heartbreak and broken cakes. But fear not! This recipe is specifically designed to be forgiving. With proper greasing (a high-quality baking spray with flour works wonders, or meticulous buttering and flouring of every crevice for a classic approach), this Gingerbread Bundt Cake releases beautifully and cleanly from the pan every single time. This guarantees a picture-perfect presentation without any of the usual bundt cake stress, letting your decorative pan do all the hard work for you.
• Stunning for Holiday Entertaining: The intricate and elegant shape of a bundt cake pan naturally creates a visually impressive dessert. A simple dusting of powdered sugar transforms it into a sophisticated centerpiece suitable for any festive table. For an extra touch of holiday luxury and an unforgettable flavor pairing, serve individual slices with generous dollops of our irresistible homemade Eggnog Whipped Cream. You could also get creative with garnishes like candied ginger, sugared cranberries, or a delicate orange zest glaze. If you’re looking for other delightful gingerbread options, these gingerbread cupcakes with marshmallow frosting are also a wonderful festive choice.

Decoding the Spice Level: How Bold is This Gingerbread Bundt Cake?

The term “gingerbread” can evoke a wide range of flavor expectations, from mildly spiced and sweet to intensely fiery and robust. This particular Gingerbread Bundt Cake embraces the heart of traditional gingerbread by utilizing several key ingredients that contribute to its deeply flavorful and warming profile. At its core are rich, dark unsulphured molasses, which provides that characteristic depth and slightly bitter-sweet note, along with a generous yet harmonious blend of warming spices. These include invigorating ground ginger, comforting cinnamon, deeply aromatic cloves, and subtly peppery allspice.

Some gingerbread recipes can be quite subtle, offering just a hint of spice, while others are famously potent, hitting you with a powerful, almost aggressive, spicy kick. Our Gingerbread Bundt Cake is designed to fall perfectly in the middle, offering a delightful balance. On a spice scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is barely there and 10 is an intense spice explosion, we’d confidently rate this cake a solid 6. The spices are undeniably present, creating a delightful warmth that permeates every bite, but they are never overwhelming. This thoughtful balance ensures that even those who are typically skeptical of strongly spiced desserts will find themselves pleasantly surprised and eagerly reaching for a second slice of this wonderfully inviting and comforting cake. It’s the kind of gingerbread that makes everyone feel festive!

Elevate Your Dessert: How to Make Dreamy Eggnog Whipped Cream

While this Gingerbread Bundt Cake is undeniably delicious and satisfying on its own, pairing it with a light, airy, and delicately spiced eggnog whipped cream takes it to an entirely new level of holiday indulgence. This delightful topping is truly as amazing as it sounds, infusing a subtle, festive eggnog flavor that perfectly complements and enhances the robust warmth of the gingerbread. The inspiration for this incredible flavor combination actually comes from these delightful gingerbread and eggnog ice cream cookie sandwiches!

Crafting this luscious whipped cream is incredibly simple, requiring just a few common ingredients and minimal effort:

• Key Ingredients You’ll Need: To create this dreamy topping, gather chilled heavy cream, a good quality full-fat eggnog (I highly recommend a rich brand like Organic Valley for the best flavor and texture, ensuring it’s full-fat and well-chilled), pure vanilla extract for that classic warmth, granulated sugar to sweeten it just right, and a touch of freshly grated nutmeg for an aromatic and authentically festive finish.

Simply combine these ingredients in a medium deep-set bowl and whip them together using a hand-held mixer or a sturdy balloon whisk until soft, pillowy peaks begin to form. The process is straightforward and yields a light, creamy topping that feels incredibly luxurious on the tongue. A fantastic bonus for holiday hosts? This eggnog whipped cream holds beautifully in the refrigerator for several hours, making it an ideal make-ahead component for less stress on the day of your gathering. Furthermore, it’s a wonderfully delicious and practical way to use up any leftover eggnog you might have after festive celebrations, preventing waste and adding joy!

Essential Tip for Success: It’s crucial to remember that eggnog typically contains less fat than heavy cream. To ensure your whipped cream achieves the perfect, stable consistency and whips up properly, you must strictly adhere to the specific ratio of heavy cream to eggnog provided in the recipe below. Using too much eggnog and not enough heavy cream will prevent the mixture from whipping into stable peaks, resulting in a runny topping rather than the dreamy, fluffy cloud you desire. Trust the proportions for perfect results!

Storage and Freezing Tips for Your Gingerbread Bundt Cake

To keep your delectable Gingerbread Bundt Cake tasting its absolute best and maintaining its incredible moisture, proper storage is paramount. Once the cake has fully cooled to room temperature, which is crucial to prevent condensation, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap or place it securely in an airtight container. This meticulous wrapping will help to preserve its delightful moisture and rich, wonderful flavor.

The cake can be stored at room temperature for a good 2 to 3 days. While it will remain absolutely delicious throughout this period, it’s important to note that, like most freshly baked cakes, it is undoubtedly at its peak flavor, aroma, and tender texture on the very day it is baked. The spices are most vibrant, and the crumb is most succulent.

For longer storage, this gingerbread bundt cake also freezes beautifully, making it an excellent option for preparing ahead of time or enjoying throughout the holiday season! Once completely cooled, wrap the entire cake (or individual slices, which can be very convenient for single servings) tightly in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by a protective layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 1-2 months without loss of quality. To thaw, simply unwrap the frozen cake or slices and let them come to room temperature on your kitchen counter. You can also gently warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds for a warm, comforting treat that tastes freshly baked. The eggnog whipped cream, however, is delicate and should be made fresh or stored for only a few hours in the refrigerator, as freezing will unfortunately alter its delicate, airy texture.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Eggnog Whipped Cream

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Yield: 10 Servings (One 10 or 12-cup Bundt Cake)

Prep time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes minutes

Total time: 1 hour hour

This festive Gingerbread Bundt Cake is the quintessential holiday dessert: incredibly moist, bursting with warm spices, and wonderfully easy to make. Serve it simply dusted with powdered sugar, or for an unforgettable treat, pair it with our homemade, creamy Eggnog Whipped Cream. It’s a show-stopping cake that’s perfect for entertaining and brings true holiday cheer to any table.

For optimal flavor and texture, this cake is best enjoyed on the day it is baked. However, it stores beautifully at room temperature for 1 to 2 days when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. The Eggnog Whipped Cream can also be prepared several hours in advance and kept chilled in a covered container in the refrigerator, making your holiday preparations even smoother.

Equipment

• 10 or 12-cup Bundt Cake Pan
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Whisk
• Hand-held Mixer (for whipped cream, optional but recommended)

Ingredients

For the Gingerbread Bundt Cake:

• 2½ cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup (180 mL) avocado or vegetable oil
• ½ cup (170g) unsulphured molasses
• 3 large eggs room temperature, for best emulsion
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (180 mL) buttermilk room temperature, for a tender crumb
• powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

For the Eggnog Whipped Cream:

• ½ cup (120 mL) chilled heavy cream
• ¼ cup (60 mL) whole-fat eggnog *I recommend Organic Valley brand for best results, ensure it’s full-fat and well-chilled
• 1 teaspoon (4g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• freshly grated nutmeg for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

• 1. Prepare the Gingerbread Bundt Cake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and ensure a rack is positioned in the center. Liberally grease a 10 or 12-cup bundt cake pan using baking spray with flour, or thoroughly butter and flour the pan, ensuring every crevice and detail is meticulously coated to guarantee a clean release. Set the prepared pan aside.
• 2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Whisk these dry ingredients thoroughly for about 30 seconds to ensure the leavening agents and spices are perfectly and evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Set this dry mixture aside.
• 3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the packed dark brown sugar, avocado or vegetable oil, unsulphured molasses, room temperature large eggs, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk these wet ingredients vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth, glossy, and no lumps of brown sugar remain. This creates a beautifully emulsified base. Finally, pour in the room temperature buttermilk and whisk until just combined and smooth, taking care not to overmix.
• 4. Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions. After each addition, whisk gently and only until the flour is just absorbed into the wet ingredients. It’s crucial not to overmix the batter, as this can lead to a tough and dense cake; stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear. Once combined, use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure no dry pockets remain. Transfer the smooth, aromatic batter evenly into the generously greased bundt pan, spreading it gently.
• 5. Bake the Cake: Place the bundt pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake (avoiding the center tube) comes out mostly clean, with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it. It’s crucial not to overbake, as this will dry out the cake and diminish its moist, tender texture.
• 6. Cool and Unmold: Once baked, remove the pan with the cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool for precisely 10 minutes. This cooling period is absolutely vital for the cake to set properly and ensures a clean release from the pan. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the pan onto the wire rack and gently lift the pan away from the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely on the wire rack before dusting with sifted powdered sugar (if using).

  Storage Note for Cake: Once the gingerbread cake has fully cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container to maintain its moisture. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days, though its moist texture and rich flavor are truly best enjoyed the day it’s baked.

• 7. Prepare the Eggnog Whipped Cream: In a medium, deep-set bowl, combine the chilled heavy cream, chilled whole-fat eggnog, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract. Using a hand-held mixer or a sturdy balloon whisk, whip the mixture until soft peaks form. This will take several minutes of consistent whipping, so be patient and continue until you reach the desired consistency.

  Storage for Whipped Cream: The eggnog whipped cream can be prepared a few hours in advance. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If it deflates slightly upon standing, you can re-whisk it briefly for a minute or two before serving to restore its fluffy texture.

• 8. Serve and Enjoy: Once both the cake and whipped cream are ready, slice the cooled cake with a serrated knife for clean, elegant portions. Serve each moist, spiced piece with a generous dollop of the freshly made eggnog whipped cream. For an extra touch of elegance and flavor, garnish with a light grating of fresh nutmeg just before serving. Enjoy this truly festive and unforgettable holiday dessert!

Helpful Tips & Storage:

• Once the Gingerbread Bundt Cake has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. For optimal freshness and taste, it is highly recommended to serve this cake on the day it is baked.
• For longer storage, the cooled cake can be frozen. Wrap it first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 1-2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
• The Eggnog Whipped Cream is best when made fresh or prepared just a few hours in advance. Store it in a covered container in the refrigerator. Freezing whipped cream is not recommended as it significantly alters its delicate texture.
• Ensure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature before mixing the cake batter. This helps them emulsify better with the oil and molasses, leading to a smoother batter and a more tender crumb.
• To guarantee your bundt cake releases flawlessly, don’t skimp on greasing the pan! Use a good quality baking spray with flour, or meticulously butter and flour every part of the pan’s intricate design.

Eggnog Whipped Cream method inspired by Serious Eats ratios and method.

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 452kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 23g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 15g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 300mg, Sugar: 49g

Author: Laura / A Beautiful Plate

Course: Cakes and Cupcakes, Dessert, Holiday Baking

Cuisine: American, Seasonal