Of all the Christmas dessert options, gingerbread has to be my favorite seasonal flavor. The hint of molasses combined with ginger and nutmeg just makes my kitchen smell amazing. This Christmas Gingerbread Bundt Cake is a family favorite that make year after year. It’s topped with a dark rum glaze that soaks through the dense cake and slices beautifully. Everyone will want to save room for dessert with this gingerbread cake!

Everyone thinks of gingerbread cookies, but people forget that it’s a flavor combination. Gingerbread is made up of ginger, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. The combination of all those spices together brings you the traditional Christmas flavor. It can be baked into anything – not just cookies.

So I decided to bake it into a bundt cake! Bundt cakes are my favorite because the shape is so beautiful and you don’t have to layer anything. They’re fantastic just bare, without a topping, or they’re beautiful with one! Watching the glaze drip down the side means we’re going to have a delicious dessert. Even my kids gather around to watch the final touches on my bundt cakes.

Looking for even more Christmas desserts? Check out some of my most popular sweet treats for the holidays that our family loves:

• Classic Yule Log Cake
• Pumpkin Toffee Bundt Cake
• No-Bake Eggnog Pie
• Bacardi Rum Cake

How To Make A Gingerbread Bundt Cake For Christmas

I swear that technique and tools make all the difference when you’re baking. You can buy any bundt cake pan, but I truly trust my Nordicware bundt cake pan. It’s sturdy and has a non-stick surface. I still take precautions to make sure my cake doesn’t stick (which I share those tips below), but I still think the pan makes all the difference!

Why We Love This Recipe

Quite simply, it’s a classic! This gingerbread cake is foolproof, fairly easy to make and it comes out great every time. If you don’t wan to add the glaze topping, you can keep it bare. It’s a beautiful Christmas dessert that everyone raves about. Plus, your kitchen always smells festive when you bake this cake!

What To Serve With Gingerbread Bundt Cake

I always serve my desserts with a fresh pot of coffee, some homemade whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. I like the cake by itself, but my Husband enjoys it with a scoop of ice cream. Having the options is great when you’re entertaining.

How To Keep Your Cake Fresh & Make Ahead of Time

You can certainly make this cake the day prior to serving it and it will stay fresh. If you’re making it ahead of time, don’t add the glaze topping and just cover it. Then, you can add your glaze topping the next day right before serving. Let it soak through a bit and serve it! I make this cake on Christmas Eve and serve it for Christmas dinner.

Can You Freeze Gingerbread Bundt Cake?

Yes! Gingerbread Bundt Cake is so easy to freeze. I like to cover mine in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to prevent any freezer burn. Gingerbread cake will last up to three months in the freezer. When you’re ready to serve it again, just remove it from the freezer and let it thaw to room temperature. It’ll still taste great!

Tips For Removing Your Cake From The Bundt Pan

Here’s the key – be patient. Let your cake cool completely before you flip your bundt cake over. If you’re still having issues, which can happen, there are certain tricks that you can do. The more ornate the bundt pan design is, the harder it might be to remove your cake. Don’t despair – here are some tips to follow:

• Generously use non-stick cooking spray in every nook-and-cranny. Use a spray that has flour in it. I prefer Baker’s Joy.
• Let the cake cool completely before you even attempt to remove it from the pan.
• If it sticks, hit the bundt cake pan with a spoon to loosen it.
• If the sides are sticking, use a knife around the edges.
• Flip it onto the cooling rack and walk away – let gravity take over.
• If all else fails, hide the imperfections! Use a little powdered sugar over the top or removable faux decor (like holly).

Recipe Substitutions

There are a few recipe substitutions you can make. If you want to use whole-wheat flour, the cake will be exactly the same. Also, light rum works if you don’t have any dark rum on hand. You don’t need to use top-shelf rum for this recipe. The gingerbread flavor is overpowering the rum flavor.

What You’ll Need From The Store:

• All-Purpose Flour
• Ground Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Ground Cloves
• Allspice
• Salt
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Unsalted Butter
• Light Brown Sugar
• Eggs (large)
• Molasses
• Dark Rum
• Granulated Sugar

Directions To Bake A Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your bundt cake pan with flour baking spray (like Baker’s Joy), set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients: flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, or your stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Stir in the molasses.

Add the flour mixture, alternating with the cup of water starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Pour the gingerbread bundt cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool before flipping onto your cake stand.

To make the glaze: stir together the rum, spice and sugar, in a small saucepan over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved. Once the cake has cooled and flipped, brush the cake with the glaze and it soak. Repeat until all of the glaze is used.