Gingerbread Cake

5 from 4 ratings

This Gingerbread Cake comes from the first American Cookbook! It is light, fluffy, and moist with the perfect amount of spice! Gingerbread in its purest form.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: slices

Author: Chef Lindsey

Ingredients

¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water
¾ cup molasses
2 eggs
½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
cream cheese frosting optional

Makes: 8 x 8inch rectangle

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make cake batter:

Dissolve the salt and baking soda in 1 cup of boiling water, set aside.
Grease or butter an 8-inch square baking dish. You can prep with criss-crossing parchment if you prefer.
Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric mixer, beat together the molasses and eggs until smooth.
Add the butter and sugar to the molasses mixture and beat until smooth.
Alternately add the flour mixture and the water and salt mixture, starting and ending with the water. Allow all the dry ingredients to incorporate before you add the last bit of water.
Pour into the prepared cake pan or baking dish.

Bake the cake:

Bake at 350°F convection (375°F conventional) for 20-25 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back to the touch.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting. You can cool the cake in the cake pan, or remove it and cool on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

Yield –1, 8-inch square baking dish

Technique – The historic mixing method is unusual; follow it for the moistest, most tender cake.

Variations – Bake in a 9×9, quarter sheet, or 9×11 pan; it’ll be shorter and bake in 15–20 minutes.

Storage – Keep unfrosted cake wrapped at room temp 3 days, refrigerated 1 week, or frozen 2 months.

Nutrition