Butterscotch Glazed Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt
Try my step-by-step recipe tutorial for a butterscotch glazed pumpkin gingerbread bundt cake. Warming gingerbread cake, with pumpkin or squash puree, topped with a sublime butterscotch flavoured glaze. Let me show you how:
Butterscotch Glazed Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt
Step-By-Step Recipe
***Click to jump to section***
What Is A Butterscotch Glazed Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt?
This is a spiced gingerbread cake, made with pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree, baked in a bundt pan and topped with a delicious but easy to make butterscotch glaze (browned & caramelised icing) & finished with crystalized ginger pieces.
Why Use This Recipe?
- Tastes great!
- Easy, with step-by-step instructions
- Video tutorial (almost-real time)
- Easy decoration
- Great For sharing
- Great for transporting
- Perfect for Thanksgiving & Christmas
Bundt Pan/Tin
The pumpkin gingerbread cake is baked in a ‘Kugelhopf Pan’ pan. Often quoted as a 6″ or 6.5″, (17cm) bundt tin, the dimensions are 6.5″ at its widest, depth 3.5″ (9cm) and with a 2″ (5cm) wide inner tube. It equates to approximately 5-6 cups capacity.
You can however increase to a standard 8/8.5″ (21cm) Kugelhopf tin or standard bundt tin, (see below).
Bake In The Air Fryer Or Oven
This recipe can easily be made in a larger, open-front air fryer or in a regular oven. This tin also fits a small basket air fryer, but check dimensions of your own air fryer first.
Or increase the recipe by doubling the ingredients to make in the standard bundt tin (10 cup).
Ingredients & Substitutes
This butterscotch glazed gingerbread bundt is made up of the following basic ingredients:
(*note ingredient amounts are listed in the Recipe Card*)
- Butter, unsalted
- Light Brown Sugar
- Golden Syrup*
- Black Treacle*
- Ground Ginger
- Ground Cinnamon
- Bicarb/Baking Soda
- Yoghurt
- Egg
- Flour*
- Baking Powder
*see notes below
For The Butterscotch Glaze/Icing:
- Butter, unsalted
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Icing/Powdered Sugar
For Decoration:
- Chopped crystallised ginger pieces*
- ginger sugar*
Butter
Unsalted butter should really only be used in baking for best results. Salted butter has a higher water content and the amount of salt/water can vary from brand to brand.
Eggs
UK recipes often use medium-large sized eggs and the US equivalent is about large-extra large size. Remember to remove the eggs from the fridge to come to room temperature if that’s where you store them.
Sugar
This bundt cake recipe uses light brown sugar, but dark brown or even unrefined coconut sugar will work. Dark brown is also used in the butterscotch glaze.
Spices
Our list of spices of course includes ground ginger & a little touch of warming cinnamon.
Yoghurt
Using yoghurt gives extra richness to the cake, but original gingerbread recipe uses milk, so you can use as an alternative. Use Greek-style yoghurt or plain/natural thick-set yoghurt.
Flour
This cake has been made & tested with both Plain/All Purpose flour and UK Self-raising flour. Use the flour you have, but if using the Plain/All Purpose flour, remember to add the baking powder listed, in addition to the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
Pumpkin/Squash
I love to use pureed pumpkin or even better still butternut squash, that is available almost all-year-round. It helps reduce the amount of butter used, in turn reduce the fat content, as well as providing moisture and richness to the bake.
Super simple to make your own puree, by roasting the pumpkin or squash & then scraping from the skin. You don’t even need to blitz it. Just make sure to drain the liquid really well. You can use my step-by-step tutorial on homemade roasted pumpkin puree for reference.
Vanilla Extract
A little vanilla extract is used in the butterscotch icing, and I recommend saving yourself some money and making your own or gift for the holidays.
Read my homemade vanilla extract for bakers guide.
Or try the alcohol-free vanilla recipe.
Golden Syrup & Black Treacle
British, old-fashioned gingerbread cake always uses Golden Syrup & Black Treacle. Here are some FQs and answers about these ingredients:
“Is Golden Syrup the same as Corn Syrup (Karo)?’
Golden Syrup is not the same as Corn Syrup or Karo Light Corn Syrup. They have a different taste, consistency, colour & differ in how they are made.
‘Is Black Treacle the same as Dark Corn Syrup (Karo)?’
Dark corn syrup (dark Karo), is not the same thing as British Black Treacle. The closest US/Canadian equivalent to Black Treacle is Black Strap Molasses – (with the caveat of no guarantee it will have the same effect.
‘Some American websites sell British products like Golden Syrup & Black Treacle. Below is a list I compiled of where to buy, based on information supplied by US & Canadian readers.
Where To Buy Golden Syrup & Black Treacle
Both Black Treacle & Golden Syrup are sold in the US & Canada from the following companies: World Market, some Walmarts in Canada, Sobys, ‘Stop & Shop’, Wegmans, Frys (Smiths), Woodmans, Nugget Store, The Scottish Bakery, The British Store, Talin Market, Albertsons & in Dorgnacs.
Black Treacle & Golden Syrup can also be ordered online from: Amazon, 647-Florist.com, British Food Depot.com, UK Gourmet.us, World Market.com, Cost Plus World Market & Marina Market.
(Information current at October 2019).
**Note, Golden Syrup doesn’t need to be the Tate & Lyle brand as other companies make it too.
WHY THESE INGREDIENTS ARE BEST
‘Why can’t I just use dark corn syrup & molasses?’
You can use alternatives if you have to, but be mindful that the original recipe, was not developed or tested with those ingredients. The smallest of changes can make noticeable differences in baking.
The Evidence Of How It Is Different
One reader conducted a test with original ingredients, as well as with US ingredients and shared her results below:
Comparison Of US Vs UK Ingredients For Caro’s Gingerbread Cake
“I used Karo Dark Corn Syrup in place of Golden Syrup & Molasses in place of Black Treacle in the US version.
Golden Syrup taste is just incomparable to anything I’ve ever had in the US products. It’s very similar to butterscotch, but not as heavy. Corn Syrup just does not compare at all.
Black treacle tastes very like Sorghum or Blackstrap Molasses that my Grandfather used to love. I couldn’t get any, but I believe it would be a good substitute.
On oven exit, the UK cake seemed fluffier than the US one. US is much lighter in colour, and lacks the strong flavor of the UK ingredients. It’s still very good, but I would recommend purchasing UK ingredients if at all possible. The taste is just that much better.
As always with Caro’s recipes, I highly recommend“
Jennifer Jones, Facebook October 2020.
**Conclusion – not only was the taste different, but colour and surprisingly, the texture was different too.**
Recipe Yield
This recipe makes a 6.5″ (17cm) smaller bundt cake, with a yield of 10 slices.
Want to use a regular 8.5″ (21cm) Kugelhopf tin or standard bundt tin (about 10 cup capacity), then simply double the recipe ingredients for a yield of 12 taller slices.
Decoration
This bundt cake is decorated with a thick butterscotch glaze/icing and finished with chopped crystalized ginger pieces, as well as the ginger infused sugar from the ginger jar. This is optional and other favourite sugars, coloured sugar or chopped nuts and sprinkles would also be good.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Prepare The Cake
1.Cut the butter into cubes before adding to a medium cooking pot, along with the ground ginger & cinnamon, Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda), Black Treacle & Golden Syrup.
2.Now add light brown sugar, before heating on a low-medium heat, letting the butter melt & the sugar dissolve. Remove from the heat to cool & transfer to a different bowl or jug & leave to cool for at least 10 minutes. (See Photo collage 1).
**TOP TIPS – if you have the option, purchase the squeezy bottle version of Golden Syrup, making it easier to use & add directly to the bowl.
If using a spoon, grease the spoon with cooking oil & the syrup/honey will drop off easily. I often use Frylight cooking spray.
3. Pre-heat the air fryer or oven to:180°c/160°c Fan Oven/350°f/Gas Mark 4. **If your brand or model of air fryer does not need pre-heating, then you can go ahead & skip this part for now.
4. Break the egg into a small bowl and whisk to break it up, before adding in the yoghurt (or milk) & whisking together.
5. Add in the pumpkin/squash puree & mix till combined. (See Photo collage 2). **Remember it is easy to make your own pumpkin or butternut squash puree, rather than buy one. Read my Pumpkin Puree UK Guide.
6. Once the hot mixture has had at least ten minutes to start cooling down, add in the egg/puree mixture & mix through.
7. With a sieve suspended over the mixing bowl, add in the flour & baking powder (omit baking powder if using UK Self-raising flour). Lift high if you can, and sieve the dry ingredients into the bowl, incorporating as much air as possible.
8. Using a hand-mixer, stand-mixer or by hand, mix just until combined & no dry patches remain. **A slightly lumpy batter is fine. (See Photo collage 3).
9. Well grease the bundt pan for easy removal. I highly recommend making homemade lining paste (aka Cake Goop). Works well for any greasing in your cooking or baking & the best thing for bundt cakes. Apply a generous layer or 2, in upward strokes, or coat well in cake release spray or the butter & flour method. (See Photo collage 4).
10. Carefully spoon the prepared cake batter into the greased bundt pan. Level off and smooth off as best you can.
**TOP TIP – if you get cake batter drips, simply wipe off with kitchen paper/paper towel. Then reapply the lining paste to the bare areas.
11. Tap the bundt on the counter/worktop a few times, then place on a cookie sheet/tray before popping in the centre of the oven to bake.
12. Bake the bundt for about 35-45 minutes until fully baked. After 15 minutes or when the top is set, you can cover with foil & continue to bake for about another 20-30 minutes. The fully baked cake will be done when a cocktail stick comes out clean of crumbs and the cake has started coming away from the sides of the tin.
13.Place on cooling rack & leave for 30 minutes to cool.
14. Place a plate/cake stand on top of the cake, hold everything together & turn over. The cake should release and just pop out when using the lining paste.
15. Leave at least 30 minutes to cool before decorating.
Make The Glaze
Browning & Clarifying The Butter
1. Only make the glaze right before adding to the cake as it sets up really quick. The first step is to brown the butter.
2. Add the cubed butter to a medium cooking pot and heat on medium heat till melted.
3. Let come to a boil & note the colour of the melted butter – an opaque yellow shade. (See Photo 6).
4.Leave to boil & bubble for at least 5 minutes & until the fats & liquid separate. You will notice a nice smell & foam will form on the surface. Colour will be more translucent, with browned particles under the surface.
5. As soon as the liquid starts to change to a very slight brown colour, immediately remove from the heat.
6. Sieve into a small bowl, letting the browned fats reach the bowl, but discard the foam & residue in the sieve. (So essentially browning & clarifying the butter). See Photo collage 6.
7. Return the browned butter to the pot & add in the dark brown sugar & 4 tsp of milk.
8.Mix to combine & let the sugar dissolve.
9. Let the mixture come to a boil.
10. Leave to come to a full boil, with plenty of bursting hot bubbles (so be careful). Be sure to stir regularly to stop it sticking to the pan.
See Photo 7.
11. Remove from the heat & add the sieved icing (powdered) sugar to the pot.
12. Mix together & an extra thick lumpy paste will be formed.
13. Add the vanilla & 1 tsp of milk & beat well till a smooth pourable glaze is formed.
14. Then go ahead and add 1 tsp more milk & make thinner than you think you need, as the glaze sets up super fast. (See Photo8 & the video for reference).
Decorating The Cake
1. Chop crystalized ginger pieces into tiny pieces for decoration (larger will be just too much heat).
2.Carefully spoon on the butterscotch glaze to the top of the bundt cake only. The glaze should be extra thick but manageable that you can manipulate into the groves but not so thin that it drips down too much. **TIP – less is more when it comes to drips on a cake.
3.If you like more glaze (and it pairs great with this cake), let glaze drip down the centre of the cake so that each slice of cake has a nice coating of butterscotch topping.
4. I layered the glaze on top top of the first layer, only just finishing the first layer, before adding the next. See Photo collage 9.
5. Now add on the chopped crystalized ginger pieces and then finish off with the ginger sugar from the ginger jar/packet for a nice glittery effect.
6. Alternatively you could add coloured sanding sugar, sprinkles or even chopped nuts like walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans. Frosted fresh cranberries would also make a great cake for a Christmas dinner table.
Serving & Storing
1.You can serve the cake immediately, not need to wait to set.
2. Serve as it is with your favourite coffee or tea. Also goes great with cream or ice-cream.
3. Store the bundt cake in a metal cake or cookie tin, or under a glass cake dome, all at room temperature. Don’t place in the fridge as it can cause condensation. Will be fine at room temperature for up to 7 days.
4. Gingerbread bundt cake can be frozen, preferably unglazed, whole or sliced. Wrapped well in paper and then foil or cling film/plastic warp & finally a labelled food bag or airtight container, for up to 3 months.1
5. Defrost on the counter/worktop if a slice(s), or in the fridge overnight if the whole bundt cake. Serve once at room temperature or after adding the glaze.
More Homemade Treats For Baking
Recipes like pastry cream, concentrated strawberry puree, salted caramel sauce, blueberry orange curd, pumpkin puree or homemade lining paste below:
Recipe Card
Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt With Butterscotch Glaze
Equipment
- Scales or measuring cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Small measuring jug
- Small Cooking Pot
- Medium mixing bowl
- Hand Whisk
- Homemade lining paste/cake goop (make your own homemade lining paste/cake goop or use cake release spray or butter )
- 6.5" Bundt Tin (17cm, ‘Kugelhopf smaller bundt, see notes*)
- Sieve
- Medium bowl x 2
- Metal Spoon
- Cooling rack
- OVEN: 180°c/160°c Fan Oven/350°f/Gas Mark 4
Ingredients
- 87 grams Unsalted Butter (3 oz, ⅓ cup – no need to soften)
- 115 grams Golden Syrup (4 oz, ⅓ cup+ 2 tsp, or 5 tbsp)* see notes & before recipe for tips
- 58 grams Black Treacle (2 oz, ⅙ cup or 3 tbsp, see notes)
- 87 grams Light Brown Sugar (3 oz or scant ½ cup*)
- 1¾ tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda (Baking Soda)
- 2 Medium-Large Eggs (Large or Extra Large size US)
- 70 ml Yoghurt (⅓ cup, 2⅓ fl oz, or milk)
- 83 grams Pumpkin Puree (3 oz, ⅓ cup or Butternut Squash)*
- 173 grams Plain Flour (6 oz, 1⅓ Cups All Purpose Flour)
- 2¾ tsp Baking Powder (don't add if using UK Self-raising Flour)
For Butterscotch Icing/Glaze
- 45 grams Unsalted Butter (1½ oz, ⅓ stick, cubed)
- 52 grams Dark Brown Sugar (1¾ oz, ¼ cup)
- 4 tsp Milk (20ml, ⅔ fl oz)
- ¾ tsp Vanilla Extract (Make homemade vanilla or alcohol-free vanilla)
- 95 grams Icing/Powdered Sugar (3⅓ oz, ¾ cup, sieved)
- 3 tsp Milk (Added gradually, more may be needed).
For Decoration
- 4-6 pieces Crystalized Stem Ginger Pieces (chopped small, optional)
- Ginger flavoured sugar granules (from ginger tub/packet, optional)
Instructions
Prepare The Cake
- Start by cubing the 87 grams Unsalted Butter (no need to soften), & add to a medium cooking pot with the ¼ tsp Bicarbonate Of Soda (baking soda), ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1¾ tsp Ground Ginger, 58 grams Black Treacle & 115 grams Golden Syrup **TIP – if you can, buy the squeezy bottle of Golden Syrup to make it easier to use. Alternatively, grease a spoon with cooking spray oil, (like Frylight spray) & the syrup/honey will drip off easily.
- Add 87 grams Light Brown Sugar to the pot & heat everything on a low-medium, letting the butter melt & sugar dissolve. Remove & transfer to another bowl to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Set the oven to 180°c/160°c Fan Oven/350°f/Gas Mark 4. **If using an air fryer that does not require preheating, turn on later.
- Break the 2 Medium-Large Eggs into a mixing bowl & whisk before adding the 70 ml Yoghurt (or milk) & whisking all together. Finally add in the 83 grams Pumpkin Puree (or squash puree) & mix together. (Read my article on how to make homemade roasted pumpkin(squash) puree.)
- After 10 minutes of cooling the hot mixture, add the egg/puree mixture & mix together.
- Sieve over the 173 grams Plain Flour & 2¾ tsp Baking Powder, (omit baking powder if using UK Self-raising flour). By hand or with a mixer, mix the ingredients just until combined and no dry patches remain. A little lumpy is fine.
Baking The Cake
- Well grease the bundt pan with home made lining paste (aka Cake Goop), cake release spray or butter & flour. (See step-by-step instructions or video for reference).
- Spoon the batter carefully into the bundt tin, level off & if any batter drips, simply wipe away and grease the area before baking. Tap on the worktop/counter a few times & then place on a cookie tray/sheet before popping in the centre of the oven/air fryer to bake.
- Bake for about 35-45 minutes till a cocktail stick comes out clean of crumbs and the cake is coming away at the sides. (**After about 15 minutes or when the top is set, you can cover with foil & continue to bake). Place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
- Using a plate/cake stand on top of the cake, turn everything over to release the cake. Leave at least 30 minutes to decorate.
Preparing The Butterscotch Glaze
- Brown & clarify the butter first, by adding 45 grams Unsalted Butter to a medium cooking pot & allowing to melt. Let come to a boil & bubble at least 5 minutes till fats & liquids separate. The butter will smell nice & foam will form on the surface.
- Browned particles will be seen under the surface & be ready to remove once the colour of the liquid changes to a very slight brown colour.
- Sieve into a bowl & discard any foam or residue left in the sieve (browned particles in the bowl is fine).
- Return the butter to the pot & add 4 tsp Milk & the 52 grams Dark Brown Sugar. Mix together & let come to a boil, then a full boil with bursting bubbles. Stir regularly.
- Remove from the heat & add the sieved 95 grams Icing/Powdered Sugar, mixing together into an extra thick lumpy paste.
- Add ¾ tsp Vanilla Extract & 1 tsp milk, beat well till a smooth pourable glaze is formed, (adding more milk if needed). Then add 1 tsp more milk & beat again (this is because the glaze sets up really quickly & we want to have time to add to the cake strategically). **So only make the glaze when ready to use.
Decorating The Cake
- Chop crystalized ginger pieces into small pieces to decorate.
- Spread the glaze very carefully on the top of the bundt cake only. Go round slowly, trying not to let it drip much. The extra thick glaze should be easy to manipulate to drip only very slightly down the grooves of the bundt cake.
- Let some glaze drip down the centre of the cake if more glaze to cake ratio is desired.
- Layer a second layer of glaze on top of the first, immediately after the first coat, for a nice proportion of glaze.
- Add the chopped ginger pieces and finish with the ginger flavoured sugar from the ginger tub/packet. Alternatively use coloured sanding sugar, sprinkles, chopped nuts or even frosted fresh cranberries.
Serving & Storing
- Can be served immediately, with your favourite hot drink. Goes great as is or with some cream or ice-cream.
- Store at room temperature, in a metal cake or cookie tin, or under a cake dome for up to 7 days. Do not store in the fridge as it can cause condensation.
- This gingerbread bundt can be frozen, but best frozen unglazed. Wrap well, whole or slices, in paper, then foil or cling film/plastic wrap and finally in a labelled & dated food bag or airtight container, for up to 3 months1. Defrost on the counter if slices, or overnight in the fridge for a whole cake. Serve or prepare & add glaze when at room temperature.
Video
Notes
Yoghurt – thick set plain/natural yoghurt like Greek style or use milk.
Sugar – light brown sugar used in the cake batter, but dark brown sugar or coconut sugar would also work. Artificial sweeteners are not recommended. Dark brown sugar used in the glaze.
Pumpkin Puree – use pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), or even squash/butternut squash puree). See my guide to Roasted Pumpkin Puree.
Flour – if using UK Self-raising, make sure to omit the baking powder, but still use the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).
Glazing Day After –You can wait to glaze the cake, a day later. Leave out at room temperature to cool completely, before storing in a tin or wrapped in cling film/plastic wrap. Don’t put in the fridge, as condensation will occur & wet the cake. Gingerbread cake does improve in flavour day or two after baking.
Recipe Yield/Bundt Tin/Pan – batter can make one 6.5″ (17cm) ‘Kugelhopf’ bundt cake, with 10 slices. For a regular 10 cup (8/8.5″, 21cm) bundt, double the recipe.
Variations On The Recipe –See my original Gingerbread loaf cake, or mini gingerbread bundt cakes, gingerbread traybake/squares or Acorn Chai Gingerbread Mini Cakes.
***For more information, step-by-step recipe, process photos, please see before this recipe card.
More cakes on my Cake Recipes Page, or try my Christmas Recipes Page
Get some ideas & recipes for Food Gifting your homemade treats.
Fan of GBBO (Great British Baking Show)? Learn more about differences in UK & US baking ingredients, or view, save & print my common baking ingredients conversion table. Includes gram, ounce & cup measurements. (Note all are hand measured by myself during recipe development & testing).
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***I am not a qualified nutritionist, and all nutritional values are approximate & based on a serving of 1 slice of butterscotch glazed pumpkin gingerbread bundt cake, from a yield of 10 slices & assumes all of the above ingredients (including fat free Greek-style yoghurt) are used. **Please note there will be glaze left-over unless you completely cover the cake. So if not completely covered, the calories will be less. Bigger or smaller slices and these values will change. All values calculated via website MyFitnessPal.com.
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Butterscotch Glazed Pumpkin Gingerbread Bundt
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Reference:
- Gingerbread freezing information from Delia Smith @ deliaonline/freezing-gingerbread/ ↩︎
