Foodie Fridays: Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Gingerbread is one of my husband's favorite Christmas flavors.  I found this recipe for Gingerbread Bundt Cake in the King Arthur Flour catalog, and decided to try it.  I did not have their special gingerbread spice blend, so I made my own, but otherwise I followed the recipe as written, and was quite pleased with the result.  The rum glaze is interesting as it is not heated, so the sugar stays granulated and gives the cake a sweet crunchy coating.  This cake could become an annual Christmas tradition!

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

Gingerbread Spice Blend:
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
pinch of black pepper

Cake:
2 T. Gingerbread Spice Blend
2 1/2 C. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 C. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C. molasses
1 C. hot water

Glaze:
1/3 C. rum (or water)
3/4 C. sugar
remaining Gingerbread Spice Blend (about 1 tsp.)

Whisk together the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.  In a large bowl, whisk 2 T. of the Gingerbread Spice Blend with the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.  Set aside.

In another large bowl, cream the butter with the brown sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the molasses.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions alternately with the water, starting and ending with the flour, mixing just until smooth after each addition.  Pour the batter into a well greased Bundt pan, tapping the pan on the counter to level the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, make a glaze by combining the rum (or water) and sugar with the remaining Gingerbread Spice Blend.  Set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven, cool it in the pan for 10 minutes, and turn it out onto a plate.  Brush the warm cake completely with the glaze.  Allow it to cool completely before serving.  Serves 12-16.

Note: I found it a bit difficult to remove the cake from the pan, possibly because I let it cool a little too long.  If this happens, gently run a thin knife blade all around between the cake and the pan, wiggling the blade slightly to loosen the cake (be careful or you may cause cracks in the cake).  This might require some time and patience, but eventually the cake will come out of the pan without breaking if you take your time.