Gingerbread Cake
on Nov 05, 2019, Updated Dec 02, 2024
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This gingerbread cake made with Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour is delicious, easy to make, and the perfect festive holiday dessert to share with loved ones by a cozy fire sipping warm mugs of apple cider.
Gingerbread is the flavor of the season, and I can’t get enough of it all winter. It’s SO good to munch on with cooler weather when you’re bundled up by a warm fire telling stories and laughing with your favorite people, don’t you think? And gingerbread cake takes the cheer and festivity to a whole new level.
This one is the easiest to make, and I used one of my favorite brands ever, Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour, to make it absolute perfection (if I do say so myself). This cake is loaded with color and flavor, so much so that you’ll be tempted to have a few slices in one sitting. Plus, you can top it with a simple homemade caramel and whipped cream to turn it into a real show stopper that’s not fussy to prep and serve.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Homemade gingerbread cake is a cheery and easy dessert to serve at holiday gatherings and celebrations that everyone will simply love.
- This recipe is packed full of flavor and color!
- I like this recipe because it isn’t a fussy cake. It’s a bit like a quick bread, it’s simple and turns out well.
Recipe Ingredients
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Molasses
- Egg
- Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour – or any all-purpose flour
- Bob’s Red Mill aluminum-free baking powder – or any baking powder
- Spices – ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
- Heavy whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Beat sugar and butter until fluffy; mix in molasses and egg.
- Stir in rest of dry ingredients, then add hot water.
- Pour batter into the dish and bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Serve warm cake with sauce and whipped cream.
Recipe FAQs
Gingerbread cake is a spiced cake that has lots of great flavor thanks to molasses in the batter. It’s served with a simple caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream. It’s my second favorite gingerbread dessert, only falling behind my famous easy gingerbread cookie recipe.
You can serve gingerbread cake on its own, with homemade caramel sauce and whipped cream, or with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. You can’t go wrong however you serve it!
Store gingerbread cake covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 to 5 days.
About an hour in total. The cake batter isn’t fussy, you just mix a few simple things and then it bakes. You can serve it warm or at room temperature and it’s a great cake to make ahead of time to cut down on day-of holiday cooking.
Expert Tips
- Use Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour for the most delicious outcome.
- Try topping it with caramel and whipped cream!
- I love working with Bob’s Red Mill. I’ve been a fan of theirs for years and go through so much flour I started buying it in 25-pound bags and keeping it in a bucket in my pantry.
- The cake can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Dessert Recipes to Consider
Simple Gingerbread Recipes
The Perfect Icing for Gingerbread Cookies
Cut Out Cookies
Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe for Perfect Holiday Decorating
Simple Gingerbread Recipes
The Best Gingerbread Recipes: Your Kitchen’s Holiday Magic
Simple Gingerbread Recipes
Homemade Gingerbread Syrup: Cozy Holiday in a Bottle
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Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Bob’s Red Mill aluminum-free baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup very hot water
For the simple vanilla caramel sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- fresh whipped cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and grease or butter a 9×13 inch baking dish well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
- Add the molasses and egg and stir to combine well.
- Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine well.
- Add the hot water a little at a time while stirring until a soft batter forms, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the cake springs back lightly when touched.
- To make the vanilla caramel, add the sugar, butter, and heavy whipping cream to a medium sauce pot and place it over medium heat. Stirring often, bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 3-5 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with warm vanilla caramel sauce and fresh whipped cream.
Notes
- You can make the cake a day ahead of time as needed.
- You can make this cake easier to serve to a crowd by turning it into a “poke cake.” Just poke the top of the cake with a fork all over while warm and then drizzle the top with the warm caramel.
- When the cake cools or just before serving, top with fresh whipped cream all over the top and then cut and serve.
- Can be stored in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.
