Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake with Creme Anglaise
Nothing says "it's the holiday season" like one of my favorite christmas desserts: easy, moist gingerbread cake, baked in (what else?) a festive Bundt pan. I love to serve my cake warm, over chilled vanilla bean creme anglaise sauce. Its light color and cool, creamy texture are the perfect match for this beautiful dark cake with warm spices.
Gingerbread is always on my "Favorite Things" List
Oh, you thought only Oprah had "Favorite Things" lists? I do, too. I just don't list items online (maybe next year?) or give them away to a studio audience (because I don't have one.)
Gingerbread recipes of all kinds would make this list, year after year. I love all things gingerbread, from old-fashioned gingerbread cookies, to less traditional gingerbread creme brulee, to homemade themed gingerbread houses at christmas time (I even did a WIzard of Oz theme one year, complete with a yellow brick road made out of Jelly Bellies!)
I can't have a recipe site, and claim to love gingerbread as much as I do, AND be the author of a Bundt cookbook.....and then fail to have a gingerbread Bundt cake recipe to share with my readers. So here it is. And it's quite good. And, if you have the time, make the creme anglaise to go with it. Like I said above, it's the perfect pairing, and it's a game changer.
Pro Tips for Baking My Best Gingerbread Cake Recipe
- Spray your Bundt pan: Use a non-stick baking spray to coat your Bundt pan is my number one tip because I use it with every single Bundt that I bake (and I bake a lot of Bundts.) In most cases, these sprays enable the Bundt to slide effortlessly out of the prepared cake pan...occasionally requiring just a little extra coaxing from a knife or an offset spatular. This spray also works for loaf cakes or layer cakes (or muffins!)
- Watch the bake time: To ensure a moist texture, pay special attention to your cake towards the end of the baking time. You want the top to be puffed an firm when lightly pressed. If a toothpick or a thin knife is inserted into your cake, it should emerge with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Bake it ahead! I suggest baking your gingerbread cake one day in advance and letting it set overnight, tightly wrapped at room temperature. This gives the warm, spicy flavors time to develop and creates a crumb that is easier to slice.
Ingredients and Special Equipment
See the full recipe card at the bottom of this post for specific quantities.
Gingerbread Cake Ingredients
- All purpose flour: Substitute an equal amount of your favorite gluten-free flour blend for a gluten free gingerbread cake recipe.
- Baking powder / Baking soda
- Salt: Kosher or sea salt are both fine.
- Cocoa powder: Just a tablespoon of cocoa powder adds extra depth to the gingerbread flavor.
- Warming spices: Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice
- Dark brown sugar: Substitute an equal amount of light brown sugar.
- Oil: Choose a neutral oil like vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Large eggs: Room temperature eggs aerate easier to create a light texture.
- Molasses: For the best flavor choose a regular molasses or an unsulphured molasses vs. a blackstrap molasses.
- Stout beer: Where some recipes add hot water, I add a cup of stout beer to my gingerbread batter, which adds extra depth of flavor to the finished cake.
- Powdered sugar (optional): For dusting onto the baked cake.
Creme Anglaise Ingredients
See my full post for my Creme Anglaise recipe for more details.
- Milk
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla beans: If you don't have vanilla beans, mix 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into recipe.
- Egg yolks
- Sugar
Recommended Special Equipment
- Minimum 10-cup Bundt pan: Choose any Bundt shape that you like. I love this Baviarian one, pictured above, with all of its grooves that show off a sprinkle of powdered sugar. If you have a larger Bundt pan, that's fine, but your baked cake will be slightly shorter.
- Nonstick baking spray: I prefer to use a nonstick baking spray, vs. a cooking spray, for my Bundt pans. These sprays incorporate flour into their formulas, so that you don't end up getting too much flour onto the sides of the cake pan using the traditional "grease and flour" method.
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment: Substitute a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl.
Step By Step Photos and Instructions
Bake the Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray your Bundt pan evenly with a nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour mixture: flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your hand mixer and a large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, and oil at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add molasses and beat for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
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4. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the stout, beating until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
5. Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake the cake in your preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester or a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (or with only a few moist crumbs attached) The top of the cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.
Make the Vanilla Creme Anglaise
- In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, cream and vanilla bean seeds and pods to a boil. Cover pan and turn off the heat at let set for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Return the milk mixture to a low simmer and, whisking constantly, drizzle in some of the hot milk liquid into the eggs. When yolks are warm, add the rest of the liquid in a steady stream.
- Return the pan to medium heat and, whisking, cook creme until it thickens slightly, and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Transfer the creme to a small bowl and remove the vanilla beans. Cover and chill until thickened and cold. If the creme appears to have some lumps in it, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl before chilling.
- Serve gingerbread slices warm or room temperature with the creme anglaise.
Variations on My Gingerbread Cake
- Cake pan variations: If you don't have a Bundt pan, you can bake this batter to for another kind of cake. Make a gingerbread layer cake using 8-inch round cake pans, or use a large loaf pan (or several mini loaf pans) to make a rectangular cake. Keep in mind that baking times will vary depending on the depth and size of your pan.
- Topping variations: Instead of simple powdered sugar and/or creme anglaise, top your warm cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, or fresh whipped cream (or all of the above!)
- Mix-ins: To add even more spicy flavor, fold some chopped candied fresh ginger into the batter or sprinkle it on top of the cake. Mix in fresh fruit, such as diced pears, or dried fruit like golden raisins or figs. You can add some subtle citrus notes by grating a few teaspoons of orange zest into the batter.
Make ahead and Storage Instructions
- Room temperature storage: Gingerbread cake can stay fresh for 3–5 days at room temperature, stored in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator storage: The cake will stay fresh for up to a week in the refridgerator if stored in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I suggested rewarming slices for 10-15 seconds in the microwave before serving.
- Freezer storage: The baked and cooled cake will fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. To reheat, thaw the cake overnight at room temperature and then rewarm slices in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes or for 10-15 seconds in your microwave.
Troubleshooting your Gingerbread Cake and FAQs
How Should I serve Gingerbread Cake?
Personally, I like to serve slices of gingerbread cake a little warm over a pool of creme anglaise sauce or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. But it is also delicious at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator, topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Why Did My Bundt Cake Stick to the Pan?
If you are using a non-stick pan, overwashing with strong detergents or abrasive sponges can damage the non-stick surface. I also find that even "non-stick" pans are never a sure thing as far as cakes are concerned. So, I always coat my pans with a non-stick baking spray, like Baker's Joy or Pam for Baking. The spray is able to get into any crevices of uniquely shaped Bundt pans, and the flour in their formulas helps to ensure an easy and stress-free release.
What is the Best Way to Measure Sticky Ingredients Like Molasses?
Sticky ingredients like honey, maple syrup and molasses have a tendency to stick to measuring cups and spoons. To ensure that you add the entire amount of your ingredients into your recipe, spritz your measuring cup or spoon with cooking spray before adding the sticky substance, and it will release easily into your mixing bowl!
Try Some More Of My Favorite Festive Holiday Desserts
- Italian Rainbow Cookies
- Gingerbread Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
- Gingerbread Creme Brulee
- Mini Apple Strudels (Apfelstrudel)
Tried this recipe and loved it? Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or give it a review!
Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake with Vanilla Creme Anglaise
Equipment
- 10 cup Bundt pan
- stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup canola, vegetable, melted coconut, or safflower oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup molasses
- 1 cup stout beer, room temperature
Vanilla Creme Anglaise
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 vanilla bean, split, ends trimmed and seed scraped out
- 6 large egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Bake Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray your Bundt pan evenly with a nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using your hand mixer and a large bowl, beat brown sugar, butter, and oil at medium speed for 3 minutes or until light. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add molasses and beat for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- With the mixer on low speed, beat in the dry ingredients, alternating with the stout, beating until incorporated and the batter is smooth.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake in your preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until a cake tester or a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (or with only a few moist crumbs attached) The top of the cake should spring back when lightly pressed.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar.
Vanilla Creme Anglaise
- In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, milk, and vanilla bean seeds and pods to a boil. Cover pan, turn off the heat, and let set for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the yolks and sugar together in a large bowl. Return the milk mixture to a low simmer and then turn off the heat. Whisking constantly, drizzle some of the hot milk liquid into the eggs. When yolks are warm, add the rest of the liquid in a steady stream.
- Return the pan to medium-low heat and, whisking, cook creme until it thickens enough so that it coats the back of a wooden spoon, 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the creme to a small bowl and remove the vanilla beans. Cover and chill until thickened and cold, about 2 hours. If the creme appears to have some lumps in it, strain it through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl before chilling.
- Serve gingerbread slices warm or room temperature with the creme anglaise (or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)
Notes
- This cake can be prepare up to 4 days in advance. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
