Healthy Gingerbread Bundt Cake

 
In early October, I flew to Northern California for a bridal shower and a quick visit with my parents. Although I booked a flight that landed later than usual, my mom still picked me up from the airport, but by the time we arrived back at the house, both of us felt tired… And we agreed it was nearly time for bed!  

Before heading back to my childhood bedroom, Mom and I chatted for a bit, and I greeted both of their sweet golden retrievers. Once they settled down, I carried my suitcase through the house and collapsed onto my bed to unwind.
 

 
After pulling on PJs and brushing my teeth, I climbed in between the sheets… Only to hop right back out. It was freezing! I forgot just how chilly my parents’ house can be during the fall and winter, so I quietly tiptoed to the hallway to grab an extra blanket.

A few minutes later, I finally felt warm enough… With flannel sheets, a comforter, a fleece blanket, my favorite flannel penguin pajama bottoms, socks, a t-shirt, and an old Winnie the Pooh sweatshirt I dug up in my childhood closet.

I definitely get cold easily… There’s a reason I moved to Southern California! 😉
 

 
The next day, and throughout the entire weekend, I wore socks, fuzzy slippers, and that same green Pooh Bear sweatshirt from Disneyland while inside of their house… And I drank mug after mug of hot chai and herbal tea to stay warm.

However, I truly didn’t mind… It was so nice to have a little break from the heat!

By the time I boarded the plane back to Southern California, my brain and body had gotten used to the chill, and I started craving cozy and comforting wintertime flavors… Especially gingerbread!
 

 
Although it seemed a little strange to eat gingerbread so early in the fall, with the winter holidays still months away, I ended up baking this Healthy Gingerbread Bundt Cake shortly after I returned home. It completely hit the spot!

This healthy gingerbread bundt cake is supremely moist and chock-full of rich spices, exactly the way I love my gingerbread treats to be. It’s also easy to make (no mixer required!), topped with a simple sweet drizzle, and 137 calories per slice!

So… I may or may not have eaten a second slice as soon as I polished off every last crumb of my first. Maybe. Just maybe. 😉
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY GINGERBREAD BUNDT CAKE

Let’s go over how to make this healthy gingerbread bundt cake! You’ll start with white whole wheat flour and lots of spices: ginger (it wouldn’t be a gingerbread cake without it!), cinnamon (← that kind is my favorite!), nutmeg, and cloves. I prefer my gingerbread on the extra zingy and spicy side, so I typically sprinkle in a bit more. It adds such a wonderful warmth and coziness!

Maybe I sound like a broken record by now… And maybe you’re a little tired of me repeating this… But… White whole wheat flour is not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour! Instead, it’s made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat, whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. 

They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture. That lets the moist and tender texture of your healthy gingerbread bundt cake truly shine!

Hint: It’s like the difference between red and green grapes. Same health benefits, just slightly different flavors!
 

 
Whereas traditional gingerbread cake recipes often call for lots and lots of oil or melted butter, you merely need 1 tablespoon for this recipe. That really helps keep your healthy gingerbread bundt cake low calorie and low fat! Then the rest of its tender texture comes from one of my favorite baking ingredients…

Greek yogurt! I’ve used it to make cakes, cupcakes, muffins, scones, brownies, and even frosting. Greek yogurt adds the same moisture to this cake batter as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories, and it also gives your healthy gingerbread bundt cake a protein boost. Win-win!
 

 
Next comes another key ingredient in gingerbread… Molasses! I use this regular kind (not blackstrap molasses!). While the ginger adds that bright and spicy flavor to gingerbread, molasses provides the deep, rich, ever-so-slightly earthy flavor (and that beautiful dark brown color too!). I do not recommend substituting for it, if at all possible. Your healthy gingerbread bundt cake just won’t have quite the same iconic gingerbread flavor without it!

You’ll also need two other sweeteners: liquid stevia and confectioners’ style erythritol. Both of these are plant-based, no-calorie sweeteners that contain nothing refined or artificial (aka they’re clean eating friendly!). I buy both of them online too: here for the liquid stevia and here for the confectioners’ style erythritol.

“Do I really need both of these sweeteners and molasses, Amy??” I can hear you ask… Yes, you actually do — and here’s why!
 

 
Molasses alone isn’t nearly sweet enough to make this cake taste like a true dessert, so no matter what, you’ll need at least one more sweetener. When I used only liquid stevia as the second one, it added lots of sweetness… But not quite enough to make this cake taste as sweet as traditional recipes made with granulated sugar — even when I added quite a bit more! It was almost as if the spices and molasses limited the stevia’s effectiveness.

But when I added in some erythritol… It was a whole different ballgame! That small-ish amount of erythritol skyrocketed the sweetness, so this healthy gingerbread bundt cake tasted just as sweet as store-bought “indulgent” gingerbread cakes.
 

 
Yes, I know it isn’t fun to track down extra ingredients… But I promise this cake is worth it!

Hint: Neither of these are one-time-use ingredients! You can use the liquid stevia in all of these recipes of mine and the erythritol in all of these recipes of mine.

This recipe also calls for a slightly surprising “secret” ingredient…
 

 
Plain white vinegar! Nope, I haven’t lost all of my marbles — yet. 😉 The vinegar (an acid) reacts with the baking soda (a base) to create air bubbles. Those air bubbles help your cake rise, and it also gives this healthy gingerbread bundt cake a more tender texture. By the time your cake finishes baking, all of the vinegar will have reacted with the baking soda, so you can’t taste it at all in the finished cake! (Just don’t taste the raw batter. Trust me on this!)
 

 
One last batter tip! For the best texture in your healthy gingerbread bundt cake, remember to (a) mix by hand with a whisk or fork {no electric or stand mixers!} and (b) alternate between adding the milk and flour mixture to your molasses mixture. Start with the flour mixture, gently stir it in until just incorporated, pour in some milk, gently stir it in, alternate back to the milk, gently stir it in… And keep going until you run out of flour mixture and milk.

These alternating additions are KEY! They prevent overmixing (just like stirring by hand does, instead of using a mixer!). Overmixing leads to a tough or gummy texture… But if you use alternating additions and a gentle hand while stirring, you’ll end up with a perfectly moist and tender healthy gingerbread bundt cake!
 

BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT BUNDT CAKES

It’s almost time to bake! But first, let’s quickly talk about bundt cakes. Because there’s nothing worse than pulling your cake out of the oven, inverting the pan, and… Your bundt cake staying firmly stuck inside. Like it’s been superglued. And needing to pry it out. Which makes it come out in dozens of crumbly pieces.

Not that I know from experience or anything… 😉
 

 
So first things first! Start with a bundt pan. They can come in all types of pretty designs, but I typically use a classic one like this.

Psst… One of the many reasons I love bundt cakes? They look so gorgeous and impressive when they first come out of the pan — no frosting, fondant, or over-the-top decorations necessary!
 

 
But in order for it to look stunning, your bundt cake needs to actually slide out of the pan… So my second tip is make sure you thoroughly coat your bundt pan with cooking spray. With these particular pans, it’s almost impossible to use too much cooking spray! Since bundt pans have lots of nooks and crannies compared to the smooth sides of regular round or rectangular cake pans, it’s a lot easier for the batter to stick. So be generous!

Tip: If you have cooking spray with flour, that’s even better!

Then transfer your batter into your bundt pan, spread it out so it’s smooth, and slide it in the oven to bake. Once it’s done and has fully cooled to room temperature (yes, it takes a while and yes, it feels like torture to wait that long!), you can either add a simple drizzle on top or eat it plain. I’ve done both, so I won’t judge either way! Regardless of which option you choose…
 

 
Cut yourself a slice and enjoy every last crumb! And maybe even go back for seconds. 😉 When you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy gingerbread bundt cake!

Healthy Gingerbread Bundt Cake

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 1 bundt cake, 16 slices

This cake is perfect for holiday parties, entertaining, or any random day that you’re craving gingerbread! It’s richly spiced, deliciously sweet, and perfectly moist and tender. It’s the best gingerbread cake I’ve ever had! This cake is best if served the same day that it’s drizzled, but leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator (see Notes below).

5 from 2 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 ¾ cups (450g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 2 tbsp (10g) ground ginger (see Notes!)
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tbsp (15mL) vanilla extract
• 5 ½ tsp liquid stevia
• 6 tbsp (54g) confectioners’ style erythritol
• ¾ cup (180g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup (60mL) molasses (not blackstrap!)
• ¼ cup (60mL) white vinegar
• 1 cup (240mL) nonfat milk

FOR THE DRIZZLE

• 3 tbsp (27g) confectioners’ style erythritol
• 2 ½ - 3 tsp nonfat milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and generously coat a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray or nonstick cooking spray with flour.
• To prepare the cake, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, vanilla extract, and liquid stevia. Stir in the erythritol. Add in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Stir in the molasses. Stir in the vinegar and ½ cup of milk. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 60-70 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Once the cake has completely cooled to room temperature and just before serving, prepare the drizzle. Stir together the erythritol and milk in a small bowl. Transfer the mixture to a zip-topped plastic bag, cut off a tiny piece of one corner, and drizzle over the cooled cake.

Notes

Do NOT use an electric mixer to mix up the batter. This will result in a dense or tough cake. Use a whisk where instructed, and use a fork for everything else.

 

For the gluten-free flour, use the following: 2 cups (240g) millet flour, 1 cup (120g) tapioca flour, ¾ cup (90g) brown rice flour, and 3 teaspoons xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like this one!) will work as well, if measured like this.

 

Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the white whole wheat flour.

 

It’s extremely important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will dry out your cake and give it a crumbly texture, instead of having it turn out moist and tender!

 

I prefer a slightly stronger ginger flavor (I love my gingerbread baked goodies to be extra spicy and zingy!), so I typically use a total of 2 ½ tablespoons of ground ginger instead.

 

The cake requires 4 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the cake maintains its shape and texture while cooling. Without all 4 egg whites, the cake will collapse while cooling and turn out much denser.

 

I do not recommend substituting for the liquid stevia, if at all possible. (It’s one of my favorite ingredients, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!) I buy mine online here because that’s the best price I’ve found.

 

However, if you really prefer to omit the liquid stevia from the cake, substitute 2 ¼ cups (432g) granulated sugar and omit the milk, but the cake will no longer be clean-eating friendly. You may substitute 2 ¼ cups (432g) coconut sugar and omit the milk to keep the cake clean eating friendly. The baking time may vary with either of those substitutions as well. Do not substitute honey, maple syrup, or agave because the cake batter will be much too liquidy with any of those.

 

I buy my confectioners’ style erythritol online here, and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too. In the cake batter, coconut sugar, granulated sugar, or brown sugar may be substituted in place of the confectioners’ style erythritol. Granulated sucralose (Splenda) will also work in place of the confectioners’ style erythritol, if you prefer a different no-calorie granulated sweetener.

 

Use regular molasses, not blackstrap molasses. I don’t recommend substituting for it, if at all possible, because your cake won’t have the same iconic gingerbread flavor without it.

 

The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and give it a better texture. You can’t taste it in the finished cake — I promise!

 

Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.

 

Make sure you coat your bundt pan really well with cooking spray! (This is the style of bundt pan that I use!) With so many nooks and crannies, compared to traditional round or rectangular cake pans, the batter has more chances to stick to the sides, so a generous coating of cooking spray will ensure your bundt cake slides right out of the pan.

 

Regular confectioners’ style (powdered) sugar may be substituted for the confectioners’ style erythritol in the drizzle. Regular powdered sugar is much more absorbent, so start with just ½ teaspoon of milk and add more as necessary.

 

For more drizzle, double the drizzle.

 

If you have a 6-cup bundt pan, you can make a half-recipe and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes instead.

 

When refrigerating leftover slices of already drizzled bundt cake, the drizzle will turn brittle and crack if made with erythritol, or it will dissolve into the cake if made with powdered sugar. Neither will affect the flavor — only the appearance!

 

{gluten free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Gingerbread Cookies
♡  The Best Ever Classic Gingerbread with Maple Glaze
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Gingersnaps
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Chocolate Bundt Cake
♡  Healthy White Chocolate Cranberry Pound Cake
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Monkey Bread
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy holiday recipes!