Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
Old-fashioned gingerbread cake is a moist, spiced dessert with a deep flavor from molasses and warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Typically rustic and baked in a simple pan, it's often served plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with whipped cream. Its cozy aroma and rich taste make it a holiday favorite.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup fancy molasses
- 1 cup hot water
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick , melted and cooled slightly (plus more for greasing the pan)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
Instructions
Preparing the Cake Pan
- Preheat oven to 325℉
- With a pastry brush (or your fingers), brush a 9″ square cake pans with melted butter.
- Cut and lay parchment paper into the bottom of the cake pan.
- Brush the top of the parchment paper with melted butter.
- Sprinkle flour into pan to evenly coat the bottom and inner sides. Tap out and discard excess flour.
Preparing the Cake Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together molasses and hot water until well combined. Slowly whisk in sugar, melted butter, and eggs, one at a time (and in that order), ensuring eggs do not cook.
- Into the large bowl, pour ⅔ of the liquid mixture and whisk until smooth. Pour in remaining liquid mixture and stir just until combined.
Baking the Cake
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for about 50 – 55 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Serve warm with a light dusting of powdered sugar and a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Notes
Moist/Dense vs. Light/Fluffy Gingerbread Cake:For a moist and dense cake (my preference), bake in a 9″ square cake pan at 325℉ for about 50 minutes.For a light and fluffy cake, bake in a 9″ x 13″ cake pan at 350℉ for 30 to 35 minutes (or until a wooden skewer poked into the center of the cake comes out clean).
Nutrition
Calories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 283mgPotassium: 686mgFiber: 2gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 54IUVitamin C: 0.02mgVitamin D: 0.2µgVitamin E: 1mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 4mgZinc: 1mg
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