This gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing combines the warm spices of the holiday season with a creamy finish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Indulge in this delightfully easy gingerbread bundt cake from a mix, a simple recipe for Christmas that brings festive flavors to your holiday table with minimal effort.

overhead view of a gingerbread bundt cake made from a cake mix, topped with cream cheese icing and served on a white plate.

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I’m always on the hunt for an easy cake recipe for Christmas, and this gingerbread bundt cake from a mix is a perfect fit.

It starts with a boxed cake mix that’s doctored up to create a treat that leaves our smiling guests hoping there will be enough for seconds. 😉

There’s something magical and oh-so-Christmasy about the combination of cinnamon, ginger, and molasses.

And I love how easy it is to make a pretty dessert, thanks to a beautifully shaped bundt cake topped with a sweet, creamy icing.

It feels fancy without the fuss, which is exactly what we need during the busy holiday season!

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, this gingerbread bundt cake delivers.

It’s the kind of dessert that disappears quickly at family gatherings or holiday parties, and I love that it’s as delicious as it is simple to make.

More Holiday Recipes Your Guests Will Love:

slice of gingerbread bundt cake on a white plate, with the remaining cake and another slice in the background.

Easiest Gingerbread Bundt Cake

What I love most about this recipe is how it takes a simple cake mix to the next level.

A few extra ingredients give it that homemade, from-scratch taste that makes you feel like you’ve spent hours in the kitchen – even though it comes together so quickly.

It’s the perfect combination of fancy presentation and minimal effort, making it ideal for the busy holiday season.

This cake is proof that you don’t have to be a professional baker to turn out a dessert that looks impressive.

The unique shape of a bundt cake always catches the eye, and topping gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing makes it a showstopper.

Best of all, it’s the kind of dessert that offers maximum flavor with minimal effort.

The warm spices and rich molasses make it taste just like the holidays, while the cream cheese icing gives it that final touch of indulgence.

It’s hard to believe such a beautiful cake could be so easy to make, but that’s part of its charm.

side view of a cake mix gingerbread cake, topped with cream cheese frosting. It's on a white plate, resting on a Christmas tea towel.

How to Make Gingerbread Bundt Cake from a Mix

It’s really easy to make this holiday dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

For the Cake:

Spice cake mix
Ground cinnamon
Ground ginger
Ground cloves
All-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
Hot water
Sour cream
Unsulphured molasses
Eggs
Vanilla extract

For the Icing:

Cream cheese
Unsalted butter
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Milk

overhead view of a slice of gingerbread bundt cake from a mix, served on a white plate. Another slice is on another plate, and the remainder of the bundt cake is on a serving platter.

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe card is available below)

Prepare the batter. First you’ll combine spice cake mix, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and flour. Mix on low speed just to incorporate.

Next you’ll add the wet ingredients (oil, hot water, sour cream, molasses, eggs, and vanilla extract) to the dry ingredients.

Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes.

two photos; one shows ingredients combined in a glass mixing bowl, the other shows the ingredients mixed together into a gingerbread batter.

Bake the cake. Next you’ll pour batter into prepared bundt pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a thin knife along the edges to loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving plate to cool completely.

two photos; one shows gingerbread cake batter in a bundt pan; the other shows the freshly baked cake still in the pan.

Make the cream cheese icing. Last, you’ll prepare icing by combining cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat together until smooth.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat to combine.

Gradually add milk, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until desired consistency is achieved.

two photos; one shows butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar mixed together in a small mixing bowl. The other shows a spoon lifting out some of the icing after the milk has been added, to demonstrate a pourable consistency that isn't too runny.

Add icing to the cake. Spoon the icing over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Then it’s ready to be enjoyed!

overhead view of cream cheese icing drizzled over a gingerbread bundt cake made from a box of cake mix.

Notes and Adaptations:

If you can’t find a 15.25-oz spice cake mix, you can use a 13.25-oz mix.
Be sure to use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses.
For more baking shortcuts, check out my list of the best cake mix recipes.

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 12 Servings

Gingerbread Bundt Cake (From a Mix)

Name: Gingerbread Bundt Cake (From a Mix)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 15.25-oz spice cake mix; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup hot water; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses; 4 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 4-oz cream cheese, softened; 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 6 Tablespoons milk

This easy gingerbread bundt cake comes together quickly, thanks to a doctored up cake mix. It's full of that rich, warmly spiced gingerbread flavor we love during the Christmas season, and it's a showstopping cake that's perfect for your holiday gatherings.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cake:

15.25-oz spice cake mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Icing:

4-oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 12-cup bundt pan well with baking spray (such as Baker's Joy). Alternatively, butter and flour the pan well.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer), combine spice cake mix, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and flour. Mix on low speed just to incorporate.
Add oil, hot water, sour cream, molasses, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Increase speed to medium-high and beat for about 2 minutes.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a thin knife along the edges to loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving plate to cool completely.
Once cake is cooled, prepare icing by combining cream cheese and butter in a small mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat to combine.
Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until desired consistency is achieved. You want the icing thin enough to drizzle over the top of the cake, but not so thin that it runs off the sides of the cake (I almost always use either 5 or 6 tablespoons).
Spoon the icing over the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Serve and enjoy!

Notes

If you can't find a 15.25-oz spice cake mix, you can use a 13.25-oz mix.
Be sure to use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses.

4 Comments

Nicole says:

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This made the perfect cake pop recipe for the holidays! Thank you!

1. Chrysti Benner says:
  
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  Thank you, Nicole! What a great idea to make cake pops with the recipe! 🙂
  
Roberta Pierce says:

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can you substitute anything for molasses

1. Chrysti Benner says:
  
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  Hi Roberta! I like using molasses because it gives it the quintessential gingerbread flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand, I’d recommend using brown sugar instead. Enjoy! 🙂

Easy Gingerbread Bundt Cake (From a Mix!)

This gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing combines the warm spices of the holiday season with a creamy finish that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Easiest Gingerbread Bundt Cake