Recipe Review: Good Housekeeping’s Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Right away, it is clear that this Gingerbread Bundt Cake recipe from Good Housekeeping is a beautiful centerpiece for a holiday dinner.
I made this cake for my friends’ and my Secret Santa party. Entering the party I was greeted with many “oohs” and “ahhs” and one friend even declaring I had won the unofficial bake off.
I set the cake in the center of the dining table, surrounded by charcuterie boards, cheese dips, fruit jellies, garlic shrimp, dinner rolls, meatballs and cookies. (I must say, an impressive display for a couple of friends in their mid 20s). The decorations hung on the tree and tabletops were all from the thrift store….before you laugh, it is a choice that is both good for the environment and our pockets.
As if the decorations and music choice wasn’t clear enough, once I placed the cake in the center of the table, it was clear that this was a Christmas party. When I was making the cake, the smell of ginger and other baking spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, filled my home and brought back memoires of Christmas morning. But from the looks of it, it was just a brown Bundt cake. Then, once I added the glaze everything started to come together. The glaze was slowly pouring down the sugarcoated sides which made the cake much more festive. And then came the pomegranate arils. The bright red color popped on top of the cake as if they were lights hung on a Christmas tree. When sprinkling the topping I had to let out an audible “wow.”
Yet, looks can only get you so far when it comes to food. Does it taste any good? That is really what we all care about. If you like sweets that aren’t too sweet, with complex flavors and a surprising topping than yes, it does taste very good. The cake itself is moist and has all the classic holiday flavors with gingerbread taking the lead. It is also easy to chew, not drying of your mouth, or too gummy. The glaze is light and creamy being that heavy cream and sour cream are two main components. The glaze compliments the gingerbread taste perfectly. Just as you would top gingerbread cookies with frosted faces or bowties, this more sophisticated cake is also topped with frosting, just with a more satisfying smooth taste. The pomegranate arils pop in your mouth, exploding with natural sweetness that surprises your taste buds. Nothing about this cake is overbearing, the ingredients work together to give you an even spread of flavors.
Before I began making the cake, I knew I would be committing to the holiday spirit as it did take extra effort to make everything from scratch. Although it took more time, the recipe was easy to follow. So I turned on holiday classics like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “White Christmas” and, a favorite of mine, “Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town” by Bruce Springsteen and enjoyed my afternoon of baking. The whole process took about two and a half hours including baking and cooling time. The tools needed, besides your kitchen basics, are a Bundt pan, a stand or hand mixer, and a wire rack (I got creative and used one of my oven racks).
Lastly, if you are looking for a healthy holiday dessert, do not look at this cake. The cake is sugarcoated and includes sugar in both the cake and the glaze. While it may not taste overly sweet, you may still want to aggressively floss after eating a slice. Yet, it is the holidays, so dig in now and worry about the dental bill in the new year!
