"This Christmas Bundt Cake is a moist Bundt cake flavored with the classic holiday flavors of fresh orange and cinnamon. It's a show-stopper that’s surprisingly easy to decorate with luscious cream cheese frosting and simple holly and berry sprinkles!"
Christmas Bundt Cake Servings – 16 Prep Time – 25 Minutes Cook Time – 50 Minutes Ingredients:
Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
6-8 inches orange peel from 1 large orange
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cake
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 eggs room temperature
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
1/2 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon orange zest from 1 large orange
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 1/4 cups flour
Frosting
4 oz cream cheese softened
1 tbsp butter softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-3 tablespoon half-n-half
Decorations/Garnish
holly and berry sprinkles optional
small pearl sprinkles optional
shimmer cake glitter or white sugar, optional
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease a 10-inch Bundt cake pan.
Syrup
Combine everything but the vanilla in a small saucepan, simmer for 2-3 minutes until dissolved. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and set aside to steep. Remove orange peel and cinnamon sticks before using.
Cake
Combine sugar, salt, baking powder, and eggs in a stand mixer or a large bowl with hand beaters. Mix on medium speed for for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl.
Add in the additional wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, vanilla, zest, and cinnamon. Mix on low for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl.
Add in flour. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape one last time.
Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees or until toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then use a long skewer to poke holes 3/4 of the way down the cake. Once holes are evenly distributed around the cake, pour the cooled syrup over the cake evenly. Allow it to finish cooling in the pan.
When the cake is completely cooled, flip it out onto a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Glaze
Beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed in a medium bowl until well combined.
Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on low until combined and then for medium speed for 1 minute.
Add half and half a little at a time until desired consistency is reached. The glaze should be smooth and just thin enough to pour and drip down the sides.
Decorating
Pour a thick layer of glaze onto the top of the cake, allowing it to fall down both sides of the cake. After you’ve gone around the whole cake, go back while it is still wet and add more glaze in any spots that are bare or look odd. Lastly, pick up the cooling rack and tap it gently, but firmly, on the cookie sheet. This will help the glaze fall evenly and smoothly on the cake.
It’s important to apply the decorations before the glaze sets up. Start with just of few of the white pearl sprinkles. You can always add more. (optional)
Then place the holly and berry sprinkles on. For a final bit of extra sparkle sprinkle on some coarse simmer sugar.
Notes:
Tips & Tricks
The number one tip for a successful Bundt cake, is to spray the pan liberally with baking spray. The spray should contain flour. I have used Pam and Baker’s Joy with success.Using an aluminum Bundt pan that is lighter in color will help the edges not dry out. Dark pans that are made from a heavier weight material produce a drier edge.
Freezing To freeze the cake, allow it to cool fully and skip the glazing. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze for 1-3 months. Before serving, allow the cake to thaw at room temperature for 5-8 hours (keep it wrapped while thawing). Once thawed, glaze and decorate the cake and allow another 1-2 hours for it to set before serving.
CWT is not a certified dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on national brands used per recipe.