Description
A moist and warmly spiced brown sugar cake baked in a bundt pan, topped with a luscious caramel cream cheese glaze and optional sugared cranberries for a festive touch. This dessert combines the rich flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves with the deep sweetness of brown sugar and caramel, making it perfect for holidays or special occasions.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Caramel Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 (8 oz.) block cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 cup melted caramel chips (or homemade caramel or jarred caramel sauce)
Optional Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups sugared cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan thoroughly to prevent sticking, as this recipe makes a large batter volume.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine the milk, oil, and vanilla extract and whisk to mix evenly. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and brown sugar on medium to medium-high speed for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs two at a time, mixing on medium speed after each addition just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Combine Mixtures: Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk mixture to the butter mixture: start with a third of the flour mixture, mixing on medium until just combined, then half of the milk mixture, again just until incorporated, followed by another third of the flour mixture, last of the milk mixture, and finally the remaining flour mixture. Mix only until well combined at each step, about 20 seconds, scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing briefly again. Avoid overmixing.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake at 325°F for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then carefully turn the cake out onto the rack or a cake plate and cool completely before glazing.
- Melt Caramel Chips: If using caramel chips, melt them in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare Glaze: In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth on medium speed. Add salt, vanilla extract, and confectioners sugar starting on low speed to incorporate, then increase to medium speed until well mixed.
- Add Milk and Combine: Add one tablespoon of milk or cream and mix well. Scrape down bowl sides and mix again to ensure a smooth glaze.
- Incorporate Caramel: Mix some of the cream cheese glaze into the warm melted caramel chips to combine smoothly, then add this mixture back into the glaze and stir until uniform and smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add additional milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until reaching a drizzling consistency.
- Glaze the Cake: Drizzle or pour the caramel cream cheese glaze over the completely cooled cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator to allow the glaze to set slightly.
- Optional Garnish: If desired, decorate the center and top of the bundt cake with sugared cranberries to add a tart contrast and festive appeal.
Notes
- Make sure the butter and cream cheese are softened for a smooth glaze.
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added to avoid a dense cake.
- Use a bundt pan with at least a 10-inch diameter to accommodate the large batter volume.
- For a dairy-free caramel option, substitute with a suitable vegan caramel sauce.
- Sugared cranberries add beautiful color and a tangy flavor balance to the sweet glaze and spiced cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
