Gingerbread Ravani Bundt Cake

If you love traditional ravani, you’re going to love this version. The gingerbread flavors make it perfect for fall and winter gatherings, and the Bundt shape makes it especially beautiful for serving when guests come over. It’s simple to prepare, bakes up reliably, and slices beautifully.

Why You’ll Love This Gingerbread Ravani

• Moist for days: Like all syrup cakes, this one actually gets better as it sits.
• Perfect for entertaining: No frosting, no last-minute assembly.
• Classic Greek technique with a seasonal twist: Semolina, syrup, and citrus meet warm gingerbread spices.
• Great for make-ahead: Ideal for stress-free hosting.

Ingredients

For the Cake

• Eggs
• Sugar
• Olive oil
• Molasses
• Vanilla extract
• Semolina
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Orange zest
• Ground ginger
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Nutmeg

For the Syrup

• Sugar
• Water
• Orange zest
• Orange juice
• Cinnamon stick
• Fresh ginger slices
• Honey
• Molasses
• Vanilla extract

Serving & Storage

This gingerbread ravani is delicious served on its own, but it’s also wonderful with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a spoonful of Greek yogurt. Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.

More Greek Desserts You May Love

If you enjoy syrup-soaked Greek desserts, be sure to explore a few more favorites from my kitchen. These recipes are perfect for baking ahead and sharing with family and friends, especially during the holidays.

• Classic Greek Ravani (Semolina Cake with Syrup) — A traditional, light semolina cake soaked in citrus syrup and loved by everyone.
• Melomakarona: Greek Honey Cookies with Walnuts — A must-make Greek Christmas cookie, infused with warm spices and soaked in honey syrup.
• Portokalopita: Greek Orange Phyllo Cake — Another syrupy classic made with phyllo and fresh orange flavor, perfect for entertaining.

You’ll find even more make-ahead Greek desserts in the archives, all ideal for holiday tables, coffee gatherings, and stress-free hosting.

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Gingerbread Ravani Bundt Cake

A warm holiday twist on your classic ravani. Cozy gingerbread spices, semolina texture, and a molasses honey syrup that makes this the perfect Christmas dessert.

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Ingredients

For the Cake

• 1 cup fine semolina flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 fourth teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 and 1 half teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 fourth teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 fourth teaspoon nutmeg
• Optional: 1 fourth teaspoon allspice
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 half cup sugar
• 1 third cup olive oil
• 1 fourth cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 and 1 half cups water
• Half of an orange, juiced
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 half cup honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cinnamon stick or half teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 to 5 thin slices fresh ginger, optional

Optional Add Ins

• Half cup chopped pecans
• Half cup golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C. Brush a 10 cup or 12 cup bundt pan with olive oil or melted butter and lightly dust it with semolina.

Make the syrup. Combine the sugar, water, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon and fresh ginger slices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the honey, molasses and vanilla. Set aside to cool completely.

Whip the eggs and sugar in a tabletop mixer fitted with the whisk attachment for 3 to 4 minutes until thick and pale. Add the olive oil, molasses and vanilla extract and mix together.

Combine the semolina, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, orange zest and all of the spices. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Do not over mix.

Transfer the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Poke the hot cake all over with a long skewer. Slowly pour the cooled syrup over the cake in stages. Pour one third of the syrup, wait a few minutes, then pour another third and continue until all the syrup has been absorbed. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, invert onto a serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar or glaze lightly if desired. Serve with whipped cream or Greek yogurt.

Enjoy and Kali Orexi.

Notes

The cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop. For a stronger gingerbread flavor, add a little more ginger or a spoon of candied ginger. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.

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