This gingerbread cake recipe makes a delicious, old-fashioned holiday snack cake. The crumb is moist and fluffy, with a perfect balance of sweetness and warm spices.
When you want to enjoy all the flavors of the holiday season, but also need a hassle-free baking experience during the most stressful time of year, a snack cake is the perfect choice.
Unlike layer cakes, a snacking cake is a single layer of moist, fluffy cake. Don't think for one minute that a simple dessert can't be beautiful, because it's simply not true! You can still make it look festive with a light dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or use the cream cheese frosting recipe in these carrot cake cupcakes.
This old-fashioned gingerbread cake has the warm flavors of traditional gingerbread cookies and gingersnap cookies, but it doesn't require the rolling and cutting that cookies do!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The perfect quick holiday snack or dessert. This old fashioned snacking cake tastes delicious with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or mulled cider!
- Freezer friendly. Save time by making a cake before the holiday rush. It freezes well for up to 4 months!
- A different holiday dessert: Typically the holidays are cookies, cookies and more cookies, this gingerbread cake is the ultimate Christmas-time comfort dessert.
Of course, I always end up making Christmas Cookies too, such as Snowball Cookies, Haystacks, Gingersnap Cookies, and No Bake Oatmeal Cookies. It wouldn’t be the holidays without them.
Ingredients
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
To make this gingerbread cake recipe, you'll need:
- unsalted butter
- white granulated sugar
- dark molasses: There are 3 varieties of molasses: light, dark, and blackstrap. Dark molasses is used most often for gingerbread desserts, including this one.
- egg
- whole milk
- spices: ground cinnamon, ground ginger and allspice
- kosher or sea salt - It's important to use a coarse grain of salt, and avoid using iodized table salt.
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda: Using baking soda as a leavener is important because it helps balance the high acid level in molasses.
- powdered sugar: This ingredient is optional, for dusting the top of the cake.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- unsalted butter: To use salted butter, just omit the kosher salt from this recipe.
- egg: The egg yolk is important for adding moisture, so I haven't tested any egg substitutes with this recipe. If you want to do some testing on your own, feel free! For tips and suggestions, read my article, Egg Substitutions for Baking.
- white granulated sugar: To cut down on the calories of your spiced gingerbread cake, feel free to use any cup-for-cup granulated sugar substitute. Monkfruit sugar is a good option. Light brown sugar will work as a substitute, but the flavor of the dessert will be even more molasses-forward.
- whole milk: You can substitute whole milk with any dairy or non-dairy milk, including half and half.
- baking soda: There is a distinct difference between baking soda and baking powder. Do not substitute one for the other.
- spices: The traditional gingerbread spices are ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice: If you would like to, use a premade or homemade gingerbread spice mix. If you love these spices, be sure to try these gingerbread brownies.
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make the gingerbread cake recipe gluten-free, substitute with a cup-for-cup brand of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
Making the Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Summary only. The complete recipe instructions are in the card at the bottom of this post ⬇️
- Mix the wet ingredients together. Start by creaming the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer. Beat on high speed, until the mixture is creamy and light in color. After that, blend in the molasses and egg.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients.
- Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan.
- Bake in preheated 350°F. oven for about 25 minutes. To be sure that the cake is cooked through, perform a toothpick test to check for doneness.
- Allow cake to cool in pan before decorating.
Liz's Tips for a Moist Snack Cake
- Avoid over mixing the cake batter.
- Use dark molasses rather than light or blackstrap. Molasses gives the cake a lot of moisture, and using dark syrup gives the gingerbread a deeper color.
- Perform the "toothpick test" to be sure the cake is cooked through. It can be so frustrating to see a cake that looks fully baked, only to find out that it's still raw in the middle. To avoid this, insert a toothpick into the middle of the gingerbread cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs, the cake is ready to come out of the oven.
- Wait until the cake is cool before adding powdered sugar or frosting.
Decorating and Serving
This cake is delicious plain, but it's adorable with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. To make the design shown in my photos, just place a stencil or cookie cutter over the cake before sprinkling the sugar.
It's also delicious with homemade apple pie filling or a dollop of fresh whipped cream on top!
A great way to give almost any Christmas dessert a festive touch is adding sugared cranberries on top!
Some other options for spiced ginger cake frosting are:
- homemade buttercream frosting
- The cream cheese frosting from my pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting recipe.
- The frosting from this chocolate eggnog cake recipe is another delicious option!
Storage
The gingerbread cake will keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container. Refrigeration may dry out your cake over time, but it's the best way to keep it from becoming moldy too quickly.
Freezing: Freezing gingerbread cake is the perfect solution if you like to make your holiday desserts ahead of time. It keeps in the freezer for 3 months.
Allow the cake to cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. To protect it against freezer burn, also place it in a freezer-safe container.
When you're ready to serve it, allow it to thaw at room temperature for a day or so.
Gingerbread Cake Recipe FAQ
The warm spices of cinnamon, ginger, and allspice combined with the richness of dark molasses creates the iconic gingerbread flavor we all know.
Using a 9-inch pan, whether round or square, works best with this recipe. No additional changes need to be made to the bake time or oven temperature. No access to a 9-inch pan? You can easily make 12 cupcakes with this recipe.
The primary difference is the amount of spices used. While gingerbread is a molasses-forward recipe, ginger cake focuses more on the ginger flavor.
Other Cake Recipes You’re Sure To Love:
- Red Velvet Cupcakes
- Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Raspberry Pound Cake
- Chocolate Bundt Cake Recipe
- Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake
Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temp
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
Optional
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting the top of the cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉, and spray a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use an electric mixer or stand mixer on high speed to cream together the butter and sugar. Add the molasses, egg, milk, salt, and gingerbread spices, and mix on medium speed to combine.
- Add the baking soda and flour, and mix gently on low speed to combine.
- Pour into the prepared cake pan and spread the batter into an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let gingerbread cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Once cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar, frosting, or whipped cream, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Diane
I haven't tried the recipe yet, but need to know if a milk substitute can be used. I usually only buy oat milk. Thank you for your time.
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
I haven't tried this recipe with oat milk so I can't be sure. if you're going to substitute it, I would look for the higher fat oat milks like Oatly barista blend. If you try it let me know!
Chris
When I made this, my gingerbread sank in the middle. Less than other gingerbread recipes I have made. Any suggestions?
Liz @ Tasty Treats & Eats
I'm so sorry but I don't know why this would've happened. It could've needed to bake for longer, or your baking soda could've been bad.
lynn sagnip
the photo looks like there is an egg added but none are listed. my family will love this but i would like to be sure the recipe is correct. thanks so much
lifebeginswithdessert
oh my goodness! yes, there is definitely an egg! sorry I have updated it now, great catch, thanks!