Gingerbread Bundt Cakes (Plaza Inn Copycat)
Sugar, spice, and everything festive — this whimsical dessert from Disneyland’s Plaza Inn is a holiday hug in cake form. These mini gingerbread bundts are soft, spiced, filled with apple pie filling, and finished with a cloud of vanilla buttercream and cheerful candy decor. It’s the ultimate bite of seasonal magic.
Servings: 10 mini bundt cakes
Cost: $10–15
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- 3 Mixing bowls
- 10 Mini bundt pans
- Pastry bags or Ziploc bags
- Toothpick or chopstick
- Baking sheet
- Spatula
- Spoon
Ingredients
Mini Bundt Cakes
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1 cup water
Apple Filling
- 1 can apple pie filling break up large pieces if needed
Buttercream Glaze
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp milk
- red food coloring
- red and green sprinkles
Gingerbread Man Decorations
- 1 package marzipan or sweet almond paste or substitute Teddy Grahams
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, spices, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a separate bowl, beat softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
- Mix in molasses, then slowly add water. Gradually blend in dry ingredients in two batches until smooth.
- Generously butter and flour each mini bundt pan. Spoon batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Place pans on a baking sheet and bake for 22–26 minutes. Test with a toothpick or chopstick for doneness.
- Cool slightly, then remove cakes from pans and cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare frosting: beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until fluffy. Set aside 1/2 cup and tint with red food coloring.
- Transfer white and red frostings into separate pastry bags (or Ziploc bags with tips cut).
- Scoop a small hole into each bundt. Fill with apple pie filling.
- Pipe white frosting over top, then add sprinkles and a small red “pillow” of frosting. Place marzipan gingerbread man on top.
Video
Notes
Homemade apple filling takes this to the next level, but canned works well in a pinch. Be sure to flour your bundt pans to prevent sticking. For a shortcut, Teddy Grahams make adorable gingerbread stand-ins. These cakes are just as magical the next day — store covered at room temperature or refrigerate and bring to room temp before serving.