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This is an old fashioned gingerbread cake recipe, not too sweet or too spicy ~ a moist gingerbread snack cake that’s perfect drizzled with warm vanilla custard sauce!
The Sunday before Thanksgiving was gingerbread cake testing day at my house. I should have been prepping my side dishes, but instead I was feverishly testing gingerbread cakes. I’m always one step ahead of the game 😉 But I’m so glad I devoted the day to this project because ~ who knew? ~ gingerbread cake is a tough nut to crack. I started out with the cake I grew up eating, from Fannie Farmer, my mom’s trusted (and only) cookbook. I had high hopes for that first bite moment bringing back a flood of warm holiday memories, etc. Buuuuut, not so much. The cake sunk in the middle, and the flavor was intense and not sweet enough. There was no joy in that cake, sorry Fannie.
Happily, round 3 rang my bell. It’s tweaked a bit from a Food 52 recipe. Hallelujah! A gingerbread snack cake that’s the perfect way to start off the season.
ingredients you’ll need for gingerbread cake
- molasses
- it’s what makes gingerbread gingerbread. Molasses comes in several different varieties, so be sure to look for unsulphured molasses. Unsulphured molasses has the best, purest flavor because it’s made from sun-ripened sugar cane. All types of molasses, including fancy molasses, can be used for gingerbread cake, but avoid blackstrap molasses, which is very strong and bitter. I use Grandma’s or Brer Rabbit Molasses, both common brands in the US. In the UK you’d use dark treacle.
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- flour
- ground ginger
- some gingerbread cakes contain a mix of other spices but I like the simplicity of just using ginger for a less ‘spicy’ flavor.
- orange zest
- a subtle orange flavor sets this cake apart from others.
- vanilla extract
- baking soda, baking powder, and salt
- a restrained hand with the baking soda helps ensure this cake won’t sink.
how to make the vanilla custard sauce (aka créme Anglaise)
My gingerbread cake is lovely on its own, but incredible with this custard sauce ~ it can be served warm, or chilled. It’s the same sauce I use on my Authentic Irish Apple Cake and my Mulled Wine Poached Pears.
- Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl.
- Heat the half and half until scalded, but not boiling.
- Drizzle some of the hot half and half into the egg mixture, while whisking constantly. Then pour that back into the pan and continue to cook, whisking or stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil.
- Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove any stray lumps.
why this gingerbread cake works
- it’s soft and moist, and when properly covered, stays moist for days. In fact the molasses in gingerbread makes it even moister as it ages! (Although don’t let this stop you from enjoying the cake warm out of the oven, I love it best that way.)
- it’s not too intense ~ some gingerbread, especially traditional gingerbread, can be downright spicy and verging on bitter. This one is more on the sweet side, with a milder spice level.
- it’s not too sweet, and perfect for those who love a subtle baked treat.
- it doesn’t sink in the middle. One of the pitfalls of gingerbread is that it tends to sink in the middle as it cools. I’ve tweaked this recipe so that any sinking is minimal. Just be sure to cook it through, and don’t open the oven door unless you absolutely have to.
- this cake goes great with the vanilla custard sauce, but also with plain whipped cream.
storing and freezing gingerbread cake
Store the cake at room temperature, covered with foil or plastic wrap. I don’t slice it until I’m ready to enjoy it. The cake freezes beautifully, either whole, or in squares. Wrap once in plastic wrap, and again in foil. Use within 3 months.
more gingerbread
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Embossed Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft Glazed Gingerbread Cookies
- Glazed Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Glazed Gingerbread Spritz Cookies
- Starry Night Gingerbread Cookies
Gingerbread Cake
4.43 from 7 votes
A classic holiday snack cake that's been made for hundreds of years!
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Prep Time:20 minutes minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes minutes
Total Time:1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
9×9 baking pan
stand mixer or electric beaters
parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- grated zest of one orange
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
dry ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
wet ingredients
- 1 cup warm tap water
- 1 cup molasses (not blackstrap, which is bitter)
custard sauce
- 2 cups half and half
- 6 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray and line a 9×9 baking dish with a long piece of parchment paper (optional) so you can lift the cake out for slicing.
Cream the butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Scrape down the bowl and beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.
Whisk together your dry ingredients to combine in a separate bowl.
Mix the warm water with the molasses in a bowl or glass measuring cup.
With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients and molasses mixture, beating after each addition, beginning and ending with the dry.
Scrape down the sides and make sure to get your spatula down to the bottom of the bowl. Then give the batter a final mix.
Turn the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until your toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter on it (moist crumbs are fine.) The cake will be nicely risen, and starting to form cracks along the sides. Note: try to first check your cake through the oven window instead of opening the door, which can cause the cake to fall.
Let cool for 10-15 minutes before lifting out of the pan to finish cooling on a rack. If you did not line your pan you can leave the cake in the pan to cool.
Only slice your cake when you are ready to serve, otherwise, leave it whole. Serve warm or at room temperature, with or without the custard sauce.
to make the custard sauce
In a medium bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan heat the half and half until scalded, but not boiling. It will start to smoke and little bubbles will appear along the edges.
Drizzle some of the hot half and half into the egg mixture, while whisking constantly. Then pour that back into the pan and continue to cook, whisking or stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and comes to a boil.
Remove from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove any stray lumps.
The custard can be served warm or cold. If you'd like to serve the custard chilled, you can speed the process by placing it in a a large bowl filled with ice.
Notes
Nutritional information for gingerbread only.
*recipe lightly adapted from Food 52
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Sue Moran
Keyword: baking, cake, Christmas, dessert, gingerbread
Nutrition
Calories: 295 kcal · Carbohydrates: 52 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 8 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Trans Fat: 0.3 g · Cholesterol: 36 mg · Sodium: 184 mg · Potassium: 480 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 29 g · Vitamin A: 259 IU · Vitamin C: 0.003 mg · Calcium: 78 mg · Iron: 3 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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