Gingerbread Castle Bundt Cake

I have a mold. I don’t know where it came from. It just appeared one day. It’s always in the way, it doesn’t fit anywhere nicely. It was suggested at one point that we throw it out, but it wouldn’t go. So today I finally used it, in honor of our Christmas party this evening.

I decided to do a gingerbread flavor, though any flavoring would work. Even Grandma P.’s hazelnut bundt cake would be lovely.

The thing about a bundt pan, and especially this one, is that it needs to be well greased in all of its nooks and crannies so that the cake pops out at the end.

Then it needs to be well dusted in flour.

In one bowl, you sift together all of your dry ingredients…flour…

Dried ginger…

Cinnamon…

Ground cloves…

Nutmeg…

Salt…

And baking powder!

Then give it a good shake until the contents are completely through. Stir those ingredients with a spoon so they are evenly incorporated.

In a metal bowl, add soft butter and add your white sugar…

And your brown. Mmmm, brown sugar gives it that maple, gingerbread, Christmas taste.

Now beat them with a mixer until they are light and soft.

After 3 minutes, add vanilla…

And 4 eggs. The best part about this was that I was out of eggs so I went to get some from the chicken coop, mid mix!

Now add your dry ingredients a little at a time…

Alternating with the milk until it is all fully incorporated. You will have to scrape down the sides with a spatula now and then in order to make sure it is uniform.

Pour your batter evenly…

Making sure you get in all the crevices of your mold…

Give the mold a few taps against the counter to get out any air bubbles, then take a spatula and pull the batter up on the sides so that it is a bit higher than the center. I could have done a little better job of that since the center rises faster than the edges. I wonder why… where’s Harold McGee when we need him?! Ooh, Haaarrollld…

Place it on a sheet tray upside down and let your castle bake.

When a toothpick inserted comes out clean (55 minutes) take it out and invert it onto a wire rack.

After it cools dust it with powdered sugar to give it that snowy look. You could also drizzle it with icing or make other designs but we’re getting a big snow storm today so I thought it was appropriate…

And voila! A gingerbread castle with freshly fallen snow. I would cut a piece for you but my castle would be missing a turret and the guests would be concerned.

Print Recipe

“Gingerbread Castle Bundt Cake”

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups flour cake flour is best but all purpose works too
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup butter softened
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour the gingerbread pan.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, spices, salt and baking powder, incorporate well and set aside.
• In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sugar, brown sugar and butter and beat for 3 minutes until light and creamy, scraping the bowl often.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture alternating with the milk just until fully incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it slightly higher on the edges, and give the mold a few taps on the counter to remove air bubbles.
• Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool for a few minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or decorate with frosting and candles!