gingerbread houses

I made these pretty little gingerbread house bundt cakes for our family Christmas party last weekend. I found the Bundt cake pans at Home Goods and for once, the cakes came out clean as a whistle.

I did have an issue with the larger cake overflowing all over the bottom of my oven and my house smelling like a forest fire for a couple of days, but you can’t win them all!

Gingerbread House Bundt Cakes

• 3 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup light molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup boiling water

• Powdered sugar, for garnish
• Sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan or the cavities of two decorative gingerbread house pans.

Place the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine, set aside.

Place the softened butter and brown sugar in a standing mixer and beat until creamy. Add molasses and stir until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour mixture and beat on medium speed until well blended. Gradually stir in hot water.

Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for 40 to 50 minutes for smaller cakes and about 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 15 minutes in the pan then invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves 8 to 10

*Note: For the three gingerbread houses, one large and two small, I made 1 ½ batches of batter.