These Mace Spiced Mini Bundt Cakes are warmly spiced with orange and mace (a floral, delicate cousin of nutmeg) for a subtle but intriguing fall flavor. Perfect for pairing with tea, gifting during the holidays, or as part of your next dessert table.
Okay, who's guilty of buying mace for one recipe (probably something pumpkin flavored) and now it's just sitting there, taking up space in your spice cabinet? 🙋♀️ Me too!
But I'm here to change that. I'm on a mission to give mace the attention it deserves- because honestly, it's delicious and totally underappreciated.
In these delicate little Bundt cakes, mace brings a warm, floral spice that pairs beautifully with bright citrusy notes from fresh orange. A sweet orange glaze finishes them off, but honestly, they're just as delicious without it.
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Key ingredients
These Bundt cakes are made with the usual staples, such as flour, leaveners, sugar, butter, and eggs. I highlighted some of the ingredients below that really make these mini Bundts stand out.
- Mace- A beautifully scented fall-like spice. Basically, if mace sent in a DNA test, its Ancestry.com results would come back 100% related to nutmeg- literally! Mace is the lacy, bright red outer covering of the nutmeg seed, and while they share the same roots (pun intended), mace is more delicate and slightly sweeter than nutmeg. For this recipe, we will use ground mace (shown above is also blade mace, which can be ground fresh).
- Cinnamon and clove- Because mace can taste bitter at times, I balanced the spice with a little cinnamon and just a pinch of ground cloves.
- Buttermilk- Many of my baked goods use buttermilk in the batter. I find its richness and slight acidity create another level of moisture that you just can't get from plain milk.
- Orange- Because of the slight floral notes of mace, orange is the perfect complement to help bring out its unique flavor.
Full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.
Step-by-step instructions
Making these mini bundt cakes is similar to other cake recipes. Just make sure you grease the heck out of that Bundt pan. You want all the nooks and crannies of the design to shine through.
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Step 2. Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Step 3. Add the egg, vanilla, and orange zest and beat until combined. Step 4. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, and ending with the dry ingredients. Don't overmix.
Step 5. Grease and flour your bundt pan. Step 6. Pour the batter into the greased wells (about ½ - ⅔ full). Step 7. Place in the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Step 8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled, drizzle with the glaze (if using) or dust with powdered sugar.
*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions can be found in the recipe card below.
👩🍳Expert tips
- Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
- Creaming the butter and sugar is essential to creating a fluffy interior.
- Don't be tempted to fill your bundt pans all the way (they will rise significantly). Fill the cavities about ½-⅔ full.
- All bundt pans will vary slightly in size. Check your pan measurements. If you are unsure of your pan size, pour water in each cavity to measure the size of each.
Variations
I absolutely adore these pretty mace desserts just as they are, but there are a few things you can change to make them your own.
- Poppy seeds- Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the batter for a classic combo and a little crunch.
- Lemon- Use lemon instead of orange for an equally citrusy punch.
- Chocolate chips- Toss some chocolate chips into the batter for a little indulgence.
- Ginger- Add some grated fresh ginger or ground ginger to the batter for a pop.
Storage and prep
You can make these mini Bundts 24 hours ahead of time, and glaze them the next day (is using).
Store cooled cakes in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, you can store them in the fridge for 5 days.
Serving suggestions
Want to turn these mace cakes into a show-stopper? Try some of these ideas.
- Offer as part of a dessert board with other single-serve desserts (cookies, donuts, etc.). They would be perfect for an intimate Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or winter holiday brunch. Maybe even leave one out for Santa?
- Garnish cooled cakes with powdered sugar and orange zest or peel.
- Host an afternoon tea party and serve with lavender or chai tea.
- Serve with a classic brunch cocktail, fresh lemonade, or a homemade bubbly beverage.
Frequently asked questions
Mace is a warm spice, similar to nutmeg, with a slightly sweeter, floral flavor profile. It pairs well with other warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and allspice.
These cakes are all about the mace, so I highly recommend trying the recipe as written. However, you can substitute nutmeg or a combination of fall spices like cinnamon, ginger, or cloves.
No Bundt. No problem. You can either use a small loaf pan (8 by 4-inch) and increase the bake time to 40-45 minutes, or an 8-inch round (or square) cake pan and increase the bake time to 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
To make a full-size bundt cake, double the recipe and use a standard-size Bundt pan (10-12 cups).
More fall recipes
Warm and cozy, perfect for cooler weather.
Made this recipe? I'd love to hear about it. Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and comment below the recipe. Snapped a photo? Tag @brunchandbatter on Instagram so I can see your creation!
📖Recipe
Mace Spiced Mini Bundt Cakes
Equipment
- stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric mixer
- 6 cavity mini Bundt pan* or 6 individual mini Bundt molds *sometimes called Bundtlette pans
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground mace
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves (less than ⅛ tsp)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar, loosely packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- ⅔ cup buttermilk room temperature
- powdered sugar for dusting (if not using glaze) optional
For the Orange Glaze (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1-2 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice
- pinch of ground mace (less than ⅛ tsp) optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 6-cavity mini Bundt pan.To ensure the cakes release cleanly, use a pastry brush or your fingers to thoroughly coat every nook and cranny of the bundt cavities with softened butter and flour or a baking spray that contains flour. Make sure to get into all the ridges!
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, mace, cinnamon, clove, and salt. Set aside.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon ground mace, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch of ground cloves (less than ⅛ tsp), ¼ teaspoon Kosher or fine sea salt
- In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light in color, visibly fluffy, and slightly increased in volume (about 3- 4 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, ½ cup white granulated sugar, ¼ cup dark brown sugar, loosely packed
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest on medium speed until the mixture comes together (about 30-60 seconds). If the batter looks curdled at first, don't worry- that's normal. Just keep mixing until it comes together.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon orange zest
- Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined-don't overbeat.⅔ cup buttermilk
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared Bundt molds, filling each cavity about ½-⅔ full. The batter will be fairly thick, so the best way to transfer the batter is to use a spoon to scoop the batter in, then use a knife or offset spatula to spread the batter in the molds. You can also use a pastry or Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off for more precise control when filling.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. When the cakes are completely cooled, dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle with the orange glaze, if using.powdered sugar for dusting (if not using glaze)
For the Orange Glaze (optional)
- In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with orange juice and a pinch of mace until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.½ cup powdered sugar, sifted, 1-2 tablespoon fresh squeezed orange juice, pinch of ground mace (less than ⅛ tsp)
Notes
- Pan size matters- The mini Bundt pan I use has six cavities (here's a similar one),and each one holds about ¾ cup (180 ml) by volume. Mini bundt pans can vary quite a bit in size and depth, so it's a good idea to check the capacity of your own pan before baking. To find out how much each cavity holds, simply fill one with water, then pour it into a measuring cup to see the volume. Most standard mini bundt pans hold between ½ cup (120 ml) and 1 cup (240 ml) per cavity. This recipe is scaled for a pan with ¾-cup cavities, so you may need to adjust the bake time slightly depending on your pan's size.
- No Bundt?- No problem. Bake the batter in a small loaf pan (8 by 4-inch) and increase the bake time to 40-45 minutes. You can also use an 8-inch round (or square) cake pan and increase the bake time to 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. To make a full-size Bundt cake, double the recipe and use a standard-size Bundt pan (10-12 cups).
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
Sophia says
This recipe was delicious. This was a new spice for me to try. The cakes came out moist and the spice and the subtle hint of citrus combo gives you fall vibes. You will FALL in love with this recipe.
Jennifer says
I see what you did there🥰. Thanks Sophia!