Gingerbread
Aarthi, the cook behind Yummy Tummy, explains that she first noticed this cake in Nigella’s Christmas cookbook and wanted to bake it for a long time before she finally got around to it. Her interest was not random.
She writes that she is very fond of spiced cakes and that spices suit baked goods especially well, cakes most of all. A soft, dark, gently spiced gingerbread was always going to appeal to her.
What makes the recipe worth keeping is how uncomplicated it is. There is no butter to cream, no mixer required, and nothing tricky to finish at the end.
You need a square pan, a couple of bowls, a whisk, and about an hour of your time. The cake bakes low and slow, which is part of the reason it stays so tender.
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About Gingerbread Recipe
Gingerbread is one of those words that sounds like a single thing but covers a lot of ground. The recipe notes describe it as a confection made with honey and spices, connected to preserved ginger. Origin stories vary depending on who is telling them, and the treat carries different names in German, French and Latin.
In the United States, gingerbread cake is closely tied to Christmas. It is treated as seasonal food in the United States and in many European countries, and building a gingerbread house is a famous Christmas tradition in many places.
So when you bake this cake in December, you are joining a very long line of cooks doing exactly the same thing.
This particular version is described as moist, light and mildly spiced, and as a healthier gingerbread that can be baked for Christmas. It uses honey in place of the traditional molasses, which gives it a softer, more caramelized sweetness rather than a deep, dark one. It tastes wonderful warm, served with whipped cream or just a dusting of icing sugar.
The spice level here is gentle rather than bold. If you are baking for a table with children, that mildness is a feature, not a flaw.
The cake itself is soft and tender, full of Christmas spice aroma, and it slices neatly into squares. Serve it as an afternoon cake with tea, or as a lighter dessert after a heavy holiday meal.
It is the kind of bake that looks like you fussed, when really you just stirred a few bowls together and let the oven handle the rest.
Ingredients
Everything here is a pantry staple. The full list makes 12 servings in a 20 cm square pan, and the combination of oil, honey, brown sugar and a very liquid batter is what keeps the crumb so soft.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All purpose flour | 1¼ cups (150 g) |
| Baking powder | 1½ teaspoons |
| Baking soda | ½ teaspoon |
| Ground cinnamon | 1 teaspoon |
| Ground ginger | 1 teaspoon |
| Ground cloves | ⅛ teaspoon |
| Salt | ¼ teaspoon |
| Honey | ½ cup (120 ml) |
| Oil | ½ cup (120 ml) |
| Egg | 1 large |
| Brown sugar, packed | ½ cup (100 g) |
| Water | ¾ cup (180 ml), divided |
Flour. All purpose flour gives a softer cake. Whole wheat flour can be used instead, but the texture will be a little dense, so keep that in mind if you swap it.
Raising agents. Baking soda and baking powder need to be fresh. Old raising agents will not produce a good cake, no matter how carefully you measure everything else.
Spices. Ground ginger is the most important spice in the mix, and ginger powder gives a more intense ginger flavor than freshly grated ginger would. Cinnamon and cloves round it out and give the cake its Christmas character.
Sweeteners and fat. Dark brown sugar is credited with much of the cake’s moistness. Honey replaces the traditional molasses and gives a sticky, caramelized texture. Eggs help make the cake soft and improve its texture, and the oil keeps everything tender.
The cake is served with a vanilla or whipping cream topping. One serving from the source nutrition works out to roughly 215 calories, 31 g carbohydrates, 21 g sugar, 10 g fat, 2 g protein, 157 mg sodium and 16 mg cholesterol.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake Recipe
The method runs in four simple stages: make the wet mixture, mix the dry ingredients, bring them together into a batter, then bake.
Prep takes about 10 minutes, the cake bakes for around 40 minutes, and the recipe card lists a total time of 50 minutes. You bake at 160 C, which is about 320 F.
That is lower than many cakes, so the crumb sets gently instead of drying out around the edges.
Wet Ingredients
Start with ½ cup of water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Take the pan off the heat, then stir in the honey and mix well.
Add the baking soda and mix again, then pour in the remaining ¼ cup of cold water and stir. Set the mixture aside so it gets completely cold before you use it.
That cooling step matters, because a hot liquid would cook the egg later on.
Dry Ingredients
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Mix well and set the bowl aside. Taking a minute to whisk the dry ingredients together now means the spices are spread evenly through the flour instead of landing in one pocket of the cake.
Gingerbread Batter
In a third bowl, mix the oil with the brown sugar or jaggery. Add the egg and whisk well. Fold in half of the flour mixture gently, then add all of the honey mixture and mix well, then fold in the remaining flour and mix until the batter is just combined.
Baking Gingerbread
The batter will be very runny, and that is exactly how it should be. Pour it into the lined cake pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely, then unmold it, peel off the parchment paper, and slice into squares.
Step by Step Pictures
Before anything else, prepare the pan.
Use a 20 cm square baking pan, line it with parchment paper, and grease the lining well with oil.
The parchment makes it easy to lift the finished cake out, and the oil stops the edges from sticking.
Make Gingerbread Syrup
Boil ½ cup of water in a saucepan. Remove it from the heat before adding the honey, and mix well. Add the baking soda and mix well again, then add ¼ cup of cold water and mix. Set the syrup aside until you need it, and let it cool fully in the meantime.
Mix Dry Ingredients
Place the plain flour in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground cloves, plus the salt. Add the baking soda and baking powder, then mix well and set aside.
Make Gingerbread Batter
Place the oil in a bowl and add the brown sugar. Mix well until creamy. Add the beaten egg and whisk until everything is combined and the mixture looks frothy and light.
Fold in about one third of the dry ingredients gently, add the honey liquid and mix until combined, then fold in the remaining flour mixture gently until the batter is done. The finished batter looks liquidy and thin, which is normal for this cake.
Gingerbread Cake Baked
Pour the batter into the baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake until fully done. Once the cake is cool, slice it into pieces and serve.
Tips & Tricks
Keep the batter runny. A runny batter is what makes this cake moist and soft, so do not be tempted to add extra flour to thicken it. The spices are purely optional and can be increased or decreased to your preference.
If you want a bolder Christmas flavor, add a little more ginger. If you are baking for people who prefer things mild, hold back.
Never overmix the batter, or the cake may turn dense. Fold gently, stop as soon as the flour disappears, and let the oven do the rest.
- Oil can be used in place of melted butter.
- Brown sugar can be substituted for jaggery, and jaggery can stand in for brown sugar.
- Honey can be substituted for treacle or golden syrup.
Because the cake stays moist for a couple of days, it is a good one to bake ahead. Keep it covered at room temperature, and warm a slice briefly if you want that fresh from the oven feel. A spoon of whipped cream on top is all it really needs.
If you have a question that is not covered here, the original post invites readers to ask through a comment or an email for help.
Once this one is in your rotation, it sits nicely beside other cozy bakes. An apple spice cake with brown sugar icing brings the same warm spice notes with fruit, and a cinnamon roll bundt cake is another easy option for a holiday table.
The original recipe comes from Yummy Tummy’s super moist gingerbread cake, and if you want to compare styles, this moist gingerbread cake recipe is a useful reference point.
FAQs
What makes gingerbread cake moist?
The combination of a liquid sweetener, brown sugar, and oil keeps gingerbread cake exceptionally moist. In this recipe, honey adds a sticky, caramelized quality, brown sugar adds moisture and caramel notes, and oil helps keep the crumb tender. The batter is also meant to be thin and runny, which helps the cake bake up soft. Avoid overmixing to prevent a dense texture.
Can I use molasses instead of honey in gingerbread cake?
Yes, molasses is a traditional substitute for honey in gingerbread cake. Use the same amount, 1/2 cup, and expect a deeper, more robust flavor. Dark corn syrup or golden syrup can also work, but molasses is the classic American choice for gingerbread.
How should I store gingerbread cake and can I freeze it?
Cool the cake completely before storing it in an airtight container. It keeps for a few days at room temperature and about a week in the refrigerator. Gingerbread cake also freezes well when wrapped tightly. Many bakers find the flavor deepens after a day, making it a great make-ahead holiday dessert.
Why is my gingerbread cake dense?
A dense gingerbread cake is usually caused by overmixing the batter or using old baking soda and baking powder. Stir only until the flour disappears, and make sure your leaveners are fresh. Also, follow the pan size and baking time, since changing them affects the texture. The batter should be runny; if it seems thick, check your measurements.
Super Moist Gingerbread Cake
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
Description
Gingerbread Aarthi, the cook behind Yummy Tummy, explains that she first noticed this cake in Nigella’s Christmas cookbook and wanted to bake it for a long time before she finally got around to it. Her interest was not random.
Ingredients
1¼ cup All Purpose Flour
1½ teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
⅛ teaspoon Ground Cloves
¼ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Honey
½ cup Oil
1 large Egg
½ cup Brown Sugar, packed
¾ cup Water
Instructions
1-Preheat oven to 160 degree C: Preheat oven to 160 degree C. Line a 20 cm square baking pan with parchment paper and grease it well with oil. Set aside.
2-In a sauce pan, take ½ cup: In a sauce pan, take ½ cup of water and bring it to a boil. Take it off the heat and add in honey and mix well. Now add in baking soda and mix well. Now add in ¼ cup of water and mix well. Set aside so it gets cold.
3-Now In another bowl, add flour, baking: Now In another bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and mix well. Set aside.
4-In another bowl, take oil, jaggery or: In another bowl, take oil, jaggery or brown sugar and mix well. Add in egg and whisk well.
5-Now add in half of the flour: Now add in half of the flour mix in and fold gently. Now add in all the honey mix and mix well. Add in the remaining flour and mix well.
6-The batter will be very runny: The batter will be very runny. Pour this batter in the cake pan and bake this for 40 to 45 mins till a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
7-Now remove it from oven and cool: Now remove it from oven and cool it down completely.
8-Now unmould it and peel off the: Now unmould it and peel off the parchment paper.
9-Slice into squares and enjoy: Slice into squares and enjoy.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Method: bake
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 servings
- Calories: 215
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 157 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 16 mg
Keywords: Super Moist Gingerbread Cake Recipe