Gingerbread
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Loved by kids and adults alike, this old-fashioned gingerbread is the perfect treat to keep on hand during the holidays.
Old-fashioned gingerbread is the perfect treat to keep on hand during the holidays. There are many variations—from dark, dense cakes made with robust molasses and stout beer to light, delicate cakes flavored only with brown sugar and a hint of ginger. This recipe, adapted from Cooking with Memories by Lora Brody, strikes a happy medium. It’s dark and gingery enough to please even the most serious gingerbread aficionados yet also mild enough for young children. Plus, it’s wonderfully simple to make. The batter is mixed by hand and comes together in 10 minutes. For serving, a simple dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, or a scoop of classic vanilla ice cream is all you need to do the trick!
As I mentioned, this is really simple to throw together. If you’re looking for more of a holiday or snow day project, these gingerbread cookies are adorable, fun to make, and they taste as good as they look!
“Absolutely terrific recipe…This is exactly like the gingerbread I ate as a kid and it brought back lovely memories!”
What You’ll Need To Make GingerBread
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cake, balancing the moisture from the wet ingredients. To ensure accuracy, measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the gingerbread rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the spices and sweet ingredients, balancing the overall taste.
- Ground Ginger, Cinnamon, And Cloves: The warming spices that define gingerbread, adding depth and a distinct, aromatic flavor to the cake.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture, ensuring the cake stays tender.
- Dark Brown Sugar: Contributes sweetness and a caramel-like flavor, while also adding moisture. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Molasses: A key ingredient in gingerbread, providing the signature deep, robust flavor and dark color. I use Grandma’s Original unsulphured molasses but any brand will work. Just make sure not to purchase blackstrap molasses; it’s quite bitter and would have a significant impact on the flavor of the cake.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together, adding structure and contributing to a soft texture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
Whisk in the brown sugar, molasses, and boiling water. When the mixture is lukewarm, whisk in the egg. (If the mixture is too hot, it will cook the egg.)
Add the dry ingredients.
Whisk until there are no more lumps.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 35 minutes.
Let cool slightly, then slice and serve warm with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, sweetened whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
Freezer-Friendly Instructions
The gingerbread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in a sealable freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
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Gingerbread
Loved by kids and adults alike, this old-fashioned gingerbread is the perfect treat to keep on hand during the holidays.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅔ cup mild-flavored molasses, such as Grandma's Original (not Robust or Blackstrap)
- ⅔ cup boiling water
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-in square metal cake pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy. (Alternatively, grease the pan with butter and lightly coat with flour.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and boiling water. When the mixture is luke warm, whisk in the egg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined and there are no more lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges look dark and the middle feels firm to the touch. Set the pan on a rack to cool slightly, then cut into squares and serve. This cake is best served warm out of the oven or reheated.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The gingerbread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, double-wrap it securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1 square
- Calories: 138
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Sugar: 16 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 163 mg
- Cholesterol: 19 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I live at 7000 feet in Utah. For the person living at 6000 feet that had trouble with rising the cake: Adjustments for altitude are necessary in this recipe. 2 tablespoon of flour need to be added, the soda(leavening) should be adjusted to 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon. Another egg will be required for additional liquid. The molasses is fine, no changes otherwise with ingredients.
The oven temperature needs to be increased by 25 degrees. The baking time therefor needs to be reduced by about 10%. Check the process carefully as over-baking will render the cake dry. I hope this helps. This cake is excellent!
Excellent recipe! Followed the instructions exactly and was simple and delicious. My husband and teen both loved it! Prefect amount of spices and not very sweet which is just the way we like it. Thanks for a wonder recipe. I just found your blog and looking forward to trying your other recipes!!!
Excellent flavor! Easy to complete. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Made it, ate it, LOVED it. Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for all of your amazing recipes! I’m hoping to make this for Christmas and wanted to know if it would be ok to use Blackstrap molasses (it’s all I have on hand) maybe cut the amount? Also if I double the recipe and bake in two 9 inch pans do you think it will be firm enough to frost with cream cheese icing like a cake, once it’s cooled? Thank you so much again! 🙂
Hi Mary, If you email me at jennifer@onceuponachef.com, I can send you a gingerbread recipe that’s better for icing. 🙂
Is the brown sugar packed at all before measuring? Thanks!
Yes, thanks for catching that, Jessica – it has been corrected. 🙂
I made this gingerbread two days ago. It was delicious and very light. The only thing I changed was I used salted butter and then compensated by skipping the salt. I did have to cook a little longer to get cake to test done.
How come mine didn’t rise? The outer 2″ started overcooking before the middle rose, so I took it out of the oven. I followed the recipe very carefully…. Would altitude affect molasses more than other cakes/breads? I’m at 6000′ which does have a little impact on baked goods, but not like this.
Hi Danielle, I’m sorry to hear you had a problem with this rising. Although I know that adjustments often need to be made, I don’t have any experience with high altitude baking, but don’t think that molasses would have an impact. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
I am very excited to try this recipe. I t sounds like you can not take it out of the pan. If you use parchment paper can you remove it as I am hoping to freeze it or does it not freeze well?
Hi Nancy, I don’t have any trouble removing the cake from the pan but parchment paper would be good insurance — and, yes, it freezes well. Enjoy!
This sounds great!
I’m wanting to decorate it! Would you use an icing and then proceed or sprinkle icing sugar and decorate from there?
Yep!