Gingerbread
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You May Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
I cannot get molasses, Can I substitute golden syrup and treacle?
Hi Dee, I don’t think there’s any perfect substitute for molasses, but a few readers have used maple syrup, so you give that a try. (Please keep in mind that I haven’t tried it this way.)
Molasses is an not a common ingredient in Australia (you would really have to scout around for it) and so I’ve used golden syrup (which conversely I feel like maybe isn’t really a thing in America – could be wrong though) and it’s worked fine.
I did this recipe as the base for a gingerbread peach upside-down cake, and it turned out nicely. After greasing and flouring but before adding the batter to the pan, I peeled and sliced 3 fresh ripe peaches, and mixed together 1/3 cup melted butter and 1/3 cup dark brown sugar. The butter-sugar mixture got spread over the bottom of the pan, the peaches were arranged in a nice design on top of that, then the batter was poured over the whole thing. I lengthened the cooking time by 5 minutes to account for some of the extra moisture, cooled it for 15 minutes in the pan, then turned it out onto a cutting board to serve with fresh vanilla whipped cream. This whole process worked really, really well, and gave a summery twist to the gingerbread, which I usually think of as a fall dessert. Great cake recipe!
Is this form of gingerbread considered German?
Hi Jack, not that I know of. I know Germany has something called Lebkuchen, which resembles gingerbread, but my version is just a good ol’ american version :).
Loved this recipe! How would you recommend reheating this cake to make it taste like it’s fresh from the oven?
Hi Andi, Glad you liked it! I would recommend putting in the toaster oven on a low setting for a round or two just enough to warm it up a bit.
Years ago I ate gingerbread that had been made in cast iron corn bread pans. It was crunchy on the outside and soft/moist on the inside. Could this recipe be done that way and how would the cooking temp/time change?
Hi Ann, I think you could get away with preparing them in the cast iron bread pans and don’t think any changes are necessary. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I was looking for a quick recipe to make gingerbread this morning and found this one. So simple! The results were surprisingly delicious. This will remain in my permanent files. For the frosting, I added Kahlua and orange zest. Thank you so much, Jenn! Much appreciated.
I made this today while my grandson napped. It was so easy and so good! I made a lemon sauce to pour over it. I followed the directions exactly. My grandson loved it as did everyone else!
What a tasty treat! As a gluten-free and dairy free diner I made a few adjustments and was impressed / relieved that it still came out with a light texture. I substituted Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking flour for the wheat flour and coconut oil for the butter. I also doubled up on the spices, to suit my pro-ginger tastes, and cooked it in parchment paper rather than a floured pan.
I tried the gluten free flour, but kept the butter. The cake fell in the middle…. but not sure that is why. Any thoughts? Still, it’s DELICIOUS.
Could either be the flour or you may have over mixed it or oven temp was off…when I had a cake fall in the middle, overmixing was the culprit…
I am interested in doubling the recipe and cooking in a bundt pan like some of the other reviewers. Does this change the time for cooking it? Same temp as well?
The oven temp can remain the same, but you’ll need to bake it for longer. I’m not certain how long it will take, but I would start checking it after about 50 – 60 minutes.
Could this be made in a bunt pan
Yes Pat, I think you could, but you’re likely to need more batter– you may need to double the recipe to ensure that you have enough.