The malty tang of stout mingles with robust molasses in this unmistakably bold and scaled-up holiday dessert, a gingerbread Bundt cake.

With the holiday season in mind as inspiration, this spectacular gingerbread Bundt cake is certain to steal the show when made the centerpiece on your table. Choose from a sweet stout glaze, an orange and beer caramel glaze, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar and sugared cranberries.

Given stout is the primary flavor profile in this cake, pair it with a complimentary flavored glaze. Pop this gorgeous gingerbread Bundt cake out onto a cake plate and drizzle with homemade chocolate stout sauce, a basic vanilla glaze, a seasonally appropriate maple glaze, or other simple glaze of your choice.

Additionally, bake this cake in whatever shape 12-cup Bundt cake pan you choose. The prepared Bundt pan I am using today is from Nordic Ware and is able to be purchased here. I also love this one and this one.

I STRONGLY recommend using a pastry brush and softened butter or melted butter for a very well-greased prepared pan. Baking or cooking spray can and will damage non-stick surfaces and others by leaving a film that adheres to the pans surface and is next to impossible to remove with soap and water.

Additionally, the residue becomes tacky enough to where the cake will actually stick. Go unsalted butter or go bust…

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I have other Bundt cake recipes to consider. See my recipe for a delicious cinnamon Bundt studded with pecans, a fabulous fall pumpkin Bundt, this rum coconut pecan Bundt, or a more traditional cranberry orange Bundt.

Gingerbread intensifies over time. Fresh out of the oven and cooled slightly, its attributes are primarily light and cakey.

I recommend doing things differently. Bake this delicious cake one full day ahead of serving, cool it completely, then wrap it close with plastic wrap.

The warm gingerbread spices are entirely aromatic, and the crumb becomes delightfully moist. It’s homey and delicious and flavorfully impressive.

What Kitchen Equipment Is Needed for Gingerbread Bundt Cake?

I will always recommend using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for recipes made from scratch such as this one. You will also definitely need a wire rack.

Should the cake cool too slowly on a flat surface versus having air be able to circulate beneath it on a proper cooling rack, it will most certainly sweat once wrapped in plastic wrap.

Additional kitchen tools include a large bowl for assembling your dry ingredients, a medium bowl for whisking together wet ingredients, and a 12-cup Bundt pan. Yes, you need a big guy.

NOTE: if you only have a 10-cup Bundt pan, consider baking a single small mini loaf of this cake in addition to the cake itself. Remove enough batter (3 cups) to a 6 1/4″ x 2 1/8″ x 2″ disposable paper loaf pan and bake it alongside the cake. Begin testing for doneness after 20 minutes by inserting a cake tester or wooden pick into the center of the cake loaf. The tester should pull clean or with minimal moist crumbs. Continue to bake the Bundt cake until it tests done, about another 20 to 30 minutes. The mini loaf will be just as full of gingerbread flavor and makes a nice gift for a friend or neighbor to hasten that holiday spirit.

What to Serve Alongside a Gingerbread Bundt Cake?

Depending on the options above in terms of glazes, maybe you want to keep things simple. I prefer to skip the glaze and serve with sugared cranberries and a basic French vanilla ice cream.

I also recently served this cake as a trifle with rum raisin ice cream being among the layers. If I am honest, It’s DOWNRIGHT INCREDIBLE if you like rum raisin.

Simply cut and cube the cake and layer one third into the bottom of a trifle bowl. Just before serving, scoop and layer rum raisin ice cream atop the cake, then cover with another one third layer of the cake.

Repeat this again once more, ending finally with a top layer of rum raisin ice cream. Garnish with sugared cranberries and chocolate curls.

What Drinks to Serve with Gingerbread Bundt Cake

When talking wine, you will need to choose a wine that matches a multiplicity of flavors because as we know, gingerbread is wide-ranging in terms of flavor profiles. A solid wine must only carry the gingerbread, not embellish it.

Think ‘sweet or syrupy’ and consider an Alsatian wine such as Gewurztraminer or a late harvest Riesling. Christmas is also the time for mulled wine and pairing a powerful red wine (a Marsannay or a Canon-Fronsac) with imposing notes of red fruits and warm spices is a ‘win-win’ for certain.

Lastly, and perhaps my favorite, an Americano coffee with a pony of Grand Marnier or Courvoisier Cognac. Simple. To the point. Elevating.

How to Make This Gingerbread Bundt Cake?

Before beginning, I recommend pouring out and measuring the stout. You will need the foam to subside before you are able to incorporate into the batter. You will need 1 cup for the batter and if making the optional stout glaze, an additional 3 tablespoons.

Prepare a Bundt Pan

Melt 1/4 cup of unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Allow the butter to first foam, then the solids to begin to brown slightly, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Cool the butter slightly before using a pastry brush to carefully “paint” the butter into every nook and cranny of a 12-cup Bundt pan. Set the Bundt into the refrigerator while you make the cake batter, as the temperature will solidify the butter keeping it exactly where you brushed it.

Make the Cake Batter

In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and sea salt. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs whisking until just incorporated.  Scrape the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.

Add in the molasses and mix on medium-low speed for 1 minute. Add the stout and mix on low for 2 minutes. Mixing at a higher speed will cause the stout to foam.

Add the previously mixed flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix until just combined paying special attention not to over mix.

Bake the Bundt Cake

Remove the prepared Bundt pan from refrigeration and set it on the counter to come back to room temperature. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Pour batter into the pan. Give it a shimmy and a shake to ensure the batter settles into all of the crevices, especially if you are using a particularly festive cake form that has lots of detailed ridges.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake pulls clean or with only minimal moist crumbs clinging to it. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack for 10 minutes before performing a cake release atop the cooling rack by inverting the rack and the pan.

Allow the cake to cool completely, at least 3 hours. If making ahead, place the cooled cake on a cake platter and wrap the cake closely with plastic film.

When ready to glaze, select from the above glazes or choose one of your own. If you prefer to omit glaze and garnish instead with sugared cranberries, simply dust the cake with powdered sugar right before serving. The methods for each glaze as well as the sugared cranberries are in the notes.

NOTE: alternatively, bake this cake and layer it along with rum raisin ice cream and sugared cranberries in a trifle bowl for a festive holiday dessert. Garnish with additional sugared cranberries and chocolate shavings.

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