Gingersnap Pound Cake
Grab a box of gingersnap cookies! Topped with a crunchy gingersnap pecan topping, this Gingersnap Pound Cake is a tasty dessert for the holidays!
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Why are gingersnap cookies so difficult to find in the non-holiday season? I totally understand that ginger cookies are extra tasty during the holidays, but I’ll still reach for a gingersnap in the middle of the summer. Or in the spring. Or anytime.
Gingersnap cookies, sometimes called ginger nuts or ginger biscuits, are a sweet treat flavored with cinnamon, cloves and molasses. I make a batch of homemade gingerbread cookies every holiday season, and gingersnaps are very similar – the primary difference being that gingersnaps get baked a little longer so they are crispy rather than soft and chewy.
Gingersnap Pound Cake
Although they are delicious, this recipe isn’t about gingersnap cookies…at least not exactly. This recipe is for a spiced pound cake with a crunchy cookie topping. The pound cake itself is quite tasty, but the unique thing here is the gingersnap topping.
Gingersnap cookie crumbs are mixed with butter, sugar and chopped pecans to create a crunchy, yummy topping for the pound cake. The mixture gets pressed into the pan before baking – that way it ends up on top once the cake gets inverted onto a serving plate. And let me tell ya – that gingersnap topping? I could’ve eaten it by itself!
One of the great things about baking at home is there is always something new to learn. The crunchy cookie topping on this pound cake is somewhat new – although I did something similar using pecans and toasted coconut in this Coconut Rum Cake.
The ‘something new’ is using powdered sugar in this pound cake. Powdered sugar, also called confectioner’s sugar, is simply granulated sugar that’s been pulverized into a fine powder. It’s the same thing, but it can lead to different results.
Using powdered sugar in a pound cake leads to a smoother texture than a pound cake made with granulated sugar. I personally found it to be a bit denser, too – not that dense is a bad thing since we’re talking about pound cakes here.
The cake batter itself was seasoned with traditional holiday baking spices (cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg) and then of course there’s the crumbled gingersnap topping, too. All together, this cake is perfect for the holidays! (Or if you like gingersnaps as much as I do, then this is a year-round dessert.)
How to Store Leftover Pound Cake
Leftover pound cake is best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. If you don’t think you’ll get to it within 5 days, then you can wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it in a freezer bag for 4-5 months. (And let’s be honest. Pound cakes aren’t healthy – not even close. Freezing some of the cake to space it out is a good idea!)
Tip – slice the cake and wrap the slices individually. That way you can pull out just one slice instead of the whole cake. Saturday night? Let’s celebrate with a slice of cake!
If you are a gingersnap aficionado like me, then put this Gingersnap Pound Cake on the baking list. The flavor is perfect for dessert in the evening or with a cup of strong coffee the next morning. Happy baking!
Did you bake this Gingersnap Pound Cake at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Gingersnap Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Gingersnap Topping
- ½ cup crushed gingersnap cookies ~13-15 cookies
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
For the Pound Cake
- 2 cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 7 large eggs
- 2½ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Gingersnap Topping
- Grease and flour a 10-12 cup Bundt pan (or generously spray with baking spray and then lightly dust with flour).
- Using a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the gingersnap topping. Press topping mixture into bottom of the pan; set pan aside.
For the Pound Cake
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and confectioner’s sugar together until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes on medium-high speed).
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Using a medium bowl, whisk together the ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and flour.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the mixing bowl; mix until well combined.
- Add remaining dry ingredients and vanilla extract; mix until well combined.
- Scrape sides and bottom of bowl to ensure batter is well combined. Transfer batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cake cool in pan for 60 minutes before inverting onto a large plate.
Looking for more tasty pound cake recipes? I love pound cakes! Check out some of my other favorites:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never had gingersnap pound cake before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
This is a fun recipe, Ramya, and it’s packed with holiday flavor! Happy baking!
How fun to use gingersnap cookies (I love those…as a matter of fact, had a few yesterday). This pound cake is such a festive dessert, and I bet it would be so lovely paired with a holiday beverage. Gotta add this one to my baking list! 🙂
Oh, I like that idea, Dawn! A slice of this gingersnap pound cake served with a warm mug of hot chocolate or mulled cider sounds like a great way to wind down at the end of the evening. I’m going to make that happen!
We almost never buy cookies as most of them are overly sweet to our liking. But gingersnap cookies are a good exception; still sweet but nicely balanced with spices. And this cake? Delicious! I think it was a smart idea to incorporate some cookies and nuts for the contrast of textures. I can imagine heavenly soft cake and a crunchy exterior!
I hear ya, Ben. Some store-bought cookies can just be overly sweet. This cake was a fun way to channel all of those favorite holiday spices!
I love gingernut biscuits. I think you can buy them year-round here in australia. Of course i have to crow about having the ginger factory only an hour up the road from us :=)
A ginger factory? Only an hour away? I’m jealous! We can buy gingersnap (gingernut) cookies (biscuits) here year-round, too, but you really have to hunt for them in the non-holiday season.
This sounds like a delightful twist on the classic pound cake! I appreciate how you’ve combined the flavors of a traditional pound cake with the spiciness of gingersnap cookies to create a unique and delicious dessert.
Gingersnap cookies are so tasty! Pound cake is so tasty! So it only makes sense to combine them together. 🙂
I love this gingersnap pound cake, David It’s an absolute delight! The combination of the rich pound cake and the irresistible crunch of gingersnap pecan topping make it a heavenly treat. Definitely perfect for spreading holiday cheer!
This pound cake really is great for spreading holiday cheer! Thanks, Neil!
I agree with you, David – what gives about how hard it is to find gingersnaps? I love them, and anything flavored like them, so you know I’m going to be all about this bundt cake! I’ve never made a cake with powdered sugar, how interesing. I could imagine that it would make a butter cake more dense, since the way I understand it, granules of sugar create tiny pockets that expand with air as the cake rises. I have used superfine sugar, which resulted in a finer texture, but confectioners must take that to the next logical step. Anyway, I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and that you’re fully recovered from all the cooking by now!
I’ve made several pound cakes with confectioner’s sugar, and the texture is a bit different…but not so different than you can actually put a finger on it. As long as you cream the butter and sugar, you’ll be good to go! That and actually find those darned gingersnaps……
I love your poundcake recipes, David. They always have the perfect texture! And I’m loving this warmly spiced holiday twist! You can’t go wrong with ginger in my book!
Why thank you very much, Marissa! I’ve always loved a good pound cake, and there are so many fun twists you can put on this classic dessert. I’m with ya on the ginger…especially this time of the year!
Love the flavors of this pound cake – so warm and festive with the gingersnap cookies! Save a slice for me along with a glass of milk!
A glass of milk is great alongside this pound cake! Hmmm…instead of cookies and milk this year, Santa might prefer a slice of this cake and milk. I’m liking this idea!!