Take a bite of Christmas with this Easy Gingerbread Cake. It’s a small homemade cake with the best gingerbread flavor. Leave plain or top with frosting.

I didn’t grow up loving gingerbread, but in my adult life I can’t get enough of it. Give me a layered gingerbread cake or a simple gingerbread coffee cake. I’ll take it any way!

Today we’re sharing a quick homemade cake that I love for several reasons.

It’s small. You bake this in an 9″ square baking pan.
It’s easy. You’ll most likely have these ingredients on hand!
It tastes like Christmas. And who doesn’t love Christmas.

Let’s dig into talking all about this easy gingerbread cake!

Does gingerbread have ginger?

Yes! Gingerbread has powdered ginger in it. It also commonly has molasses which gives it the dark brown look.

What does gingerbread taste like?

Gingerbread gets its flavor from the spices in the bread. You’ll combine ginger, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg to get that spicy, snappy flavor. You can increase the spices if you’d like it to have a stronger flavor.

What is the difference between gingerbread and gingersnaps?

Gingerbread is soft and cake like. It’s baked in a loaf pan or in a cake pan and is has the texture of any other sweet bread. Gingersnaps are a crispier cookie that crunch when you eat them. This is where the term “snap” comes from.

How to Make Easy Gingerbread Cake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch square baking pan by greasing bottom, sides, and corners with butter.
Place milk in a saucepan and heat just until it begins to boil. Immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together molasses and eggs.

Add butter to bowl and stir, mashing butter into the sides of the bowl to help reduce the size of the clumps. Some clumps will remain.

molasses and butter in a bowl with a whisk

In another bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and spices.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients alternately with the milk and whisk until smooth.

mixing flour into wet ingredients in a bowl

Transfer batter to baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place baking pan on a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

baked Gingerbread Cake Recipe in 9x9 pan

Topping for Gingerbread Cake

What is the best topping for gingerbread cake? Here are a few of our favorites:

whipped cream
caramel sauce
powdered sugar dusting
powdered sugar glaze
cream cheese frosting

How to Store Gingerbread Cake

With this cake unfrosted, you store it in an airtight container at room temperature. If it dusted with powdered sugar, glaze or frosting, you can also leave it at room temperature.

If you top it with whipped cream you’ll want to store it in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze gingerbread cake?

Yes! This cake freezes well. Seal it well to protect it, then when you are ready to serve the cake, allow it to completely defrost before taking it out of the packaging.

Other Christmas Cake Recipes

Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe

4.32 from 19 votes

Take a bite of Christmas with this Easy Gingerbread Cake. It's a small homemade cake with the best gingerbread flavor. Leave plain or top with frosting.

Servings 10

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

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Ingredients

1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup molasses
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter (room temperature… plus additional butter for greasing the pan)
½ cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9 inch square baking pan by greasing bottom, sides and corners with butter.
Place milk in a saucepan and heat just until it begins to boil. Immediately remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together molasses and eggs.
Add butter to bowl and stir, mashing butter into the sides of the bowl to help reduce the size of the clumps. Some clumps will remain.
In another bowl, mix together sugar, flour, and spices. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients alternately with the milk and whisk until smooth.
Transfer batter to baking pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place baking pan on a wire rack and cool for about 30 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
Top with whipped cream, caramel sauce, powdered sugar, or your desired toppings.

Author Julie Clark

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas cake, easy christmas cake, easy spice cake, molasses cake