A timeless, classic, traditional Gingerbread recipe! This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. It makes for a dense but soft, moist, and richly flavored old-fashioned recipe, perfectly flavored with molasses, brown sugar, and lots of cozy spices! Recipe includes a how-to video at the bottom of the post!
A Classic, Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Recipe
Not to be confused with gingerbread cookies, this old-fashioned gingerbread cake is a perfectly spiced holiday staple and has been in my family for decades. It originated from the same source as my favorite angel food cake: my mom’s well-worn Good Housekeeping cookbook.
I knew that I wanted to share a gingerbread recipe for the holidays, but not just any recipe, I wanted it to be this one.
Humble and rustic in appearance, the flavor of gingerbread is anything but with bright and cozy winter spices. It tastes incredible served warm with a dollop of homemade whipped cream (though many readers have said that they top theirs with lemon curd, instead!).
Let’s get to it!
I won’t go over every ingredient, but I did want to touch on a few of the key players in today’s recipe and why we’re using them (plus a few things to keep in mind when you’re searching for these ingredients in the grocery store!).
- Molasses. Molasses is an absolutely critical ingredient for true gingerbread flavor. This ingredient is often sold in several varieties, you will want to make sure that you grab a bottle that says “unsulphured” on the label. This has a milder (in a good way) flavor than sulphured molasses. I often use Grandma’s brand molasses or Brer Rabbit “full flavor” molasses (pictured above). If you can’t find either of these brands, make sure that you use a “dark” molasses and avoid “blackstrap” variety, which can be quite bitter.
- Butter. My family’s recipe originally used shortening, and you can feel free to use an equal amount of shortening in this recipe instead. However, after lots of taste-testing I decided I much preferred the flavor of real butter. If you can find it, grab yourself European-style butter (usually sold right beside “regular’ butter), which has a higher fat content and gives the gingerbread an even better flavor and more tender texture.
- Sugar. Dark brown sugar is best for this recipe as it contains a higher amount of molasses and lends itself to the rich flavor of this cake. Don’t forget that if you don’t happen to have this ingredient on hand, you can always follow my easy tutorial on how to make brown sugar!
- Flour. Use all-purpose flour, I have not tried this recipe with any substitutions and definitely advise that you avoid self-rising flour.
- Spices. This recipe uses a cozy blend of wintery spices: ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and cloves work with the flavors of the molasses for a true gingerbread flavor. Your house is going to smell amazing.
- HOT water. Very hot or boiling water is critical to this recipe as it helps to evenly incorporate all of the ingredients for a smooth, cohesive batter and (perhaps most importantly) blooms the spices for the best possible flavor.
How to Make Gingerbread
- Cream together butter and brown sugar (I recommend using an electric mixer) and then stir in molasses, egg, and vanilla extract until batter is well-combined. Sometimes you may notice that the mixture appears a bit piecey/separated at this point, that is OK! Everything will come together in the end!
- Separately whisk together your dry ingredients, then gently stir the dry ingredients into the butter/molasses mixture.
- Stir in HOT or boiling water (carefully!) until ingredients are smooth and well combined. Make sure batter is uniform in appearance, as not properly mixing could cause the cake to sink.
- Pour into a 9×9″ pan and cook until baked through.
I recommend slicing and serving yours while it’s still warm rather than waiting to allow it to cool completely. Don’t get me wrong, the leftovers are incredible, but there’s just something so delectable about still-warm gingerbread (topped with whipped cream, of course!).
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several reasons this can happen, but I’d like to cover the two most likely reasons:
1) If the cake is under-baked or the oven door is opened too many times before the cake is fully baked, the gingerbread may sink.
2) If the batter sits too long before making its way into the oven, the baking soda can begin to react with the other ingredients too quickly. This chemical reaction needs to take place in your oven, not on your countertop, so make sure your oven is preheated and ready to go and don’t let the batter sit around once it’s all mixed together — get it in the oven right away!
I recommend using a 9×9″ (23x23cm) square metal baking pan. A glass pan may also be substituted but keep in mind the gingerbread will take longer to bake this way. An 8×8″ (20x20cm) pan that is deep enough (don’t fill higher than ¾ of the way full) will also work but will similarly take longer to bake. I have not tried this recipe in any other size pan.
The toothpick test is one of the best ways to tell if gingerbread is finished baking. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or, preferably, with a few moist crumbs (but not wet batter).
Alternatively, look for a cake that is slightly puffed in the center and springs back to the touch if you lightly touch with the pad of your finger. Small cracks on the surface of the cake are also normal and indicative of a cake that’s finished baking. If the cake is jiggly or wet looking, it is going to need more time in the oven.
Under-baking can cause a sunken cake and over-baking can cause a dry one, so making sure your gingerbread is properly baked is critical!
Gingerbread is inherently slightly dense and heavy in texture, but each bite is perfectly flavored and moist and just melts in your mouth. This is the perfect cozy wintertime treat, and I think you’re going to love it!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Gingerbread
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (preferably European-style butter, if you can find it) softened to room temperature (may substitute vegetable shortening)
- ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 cup (235 ml) unsulphured molasses (do NOT use blackstrap molasses — check the back of your bottle/ingredients to make sure it is not blackstrap)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (235 ml) boiling water
- Whipped Cream for topping, optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9"x9" (23x23cm) metal baking pan by either generously greasing and flouring or by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine butter and brown sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until creamy.½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter (preferably European-style butter, if you can find it), ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
- Add molasses and stir until well combined.1 cup (235 ml) unsulphured molasses
- Add egg and vanilla extract. Stir well.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground cloves, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet until completely combined.
- Carefully stir in boiling water until ingredients are smooth and well-combined.1 cup (235 ml) boiling water
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake in the center rack of 350F (175C) preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool before slicing and serving. This Gingerbread tastes best when topped with whipped cream!Whipped Cream
Notes
Toppings
My family always tops this recipe with a batch of my homemade whipped cream, but many people also enjoy it topped with warm lemon curd!Storing
Store in an airtight container (or tightly covered in the pan it was baked in) at room temperature for up to 3 days. Note: This recipe has been one my family has used since I was a child and has been closely adapted from Good Housekeeping (affiliate).Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
More Holiday Recipes to Try:
This Gingerbread recipe was originally published 12/15/2017. Recipe remains the same, but the post has been updated to include video and more helpful tips.
Mark
Curious if you believe this recipe is suitable for baking in silicon forms? I have several holiday themed silicon forms for little houses and Christmas trees that I would love to use with gingerbread.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Mark! I haven’t tried it, but think that you should be ok. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
lamanda chewning
So most and delicious! Tried with caramel whipped cream…it was good. But then…the honey butter I made to go with dinner rolls was whispering…go ahead, put me on the gingerbread! Wow! Over the top! I highly recommend it😂🤣
Sugar Spun Run
YUM! Both sound like perfect toppings, Iamanda! I am glad that you enjoyed the gingerbread. Thanks for trying my recipe! 🙂
April
Hi, I’m wanting to make several small loaves (9×5) for friends and family. What do you recommend I do? Can I just split it evenly into the pans and bake for a shorter time? New to baking here, excited to try your recipe. Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, April! Yes, that will be perfect! I would just keep an eye on the bake time. I hope that your friends enjoy the gingerbread! 🙂
April
Thanks so much!!! Merry Christmas!🎄
Lee
Delicious but the center caved in as well. I made a conscious effort not to overmix (like your directions for cheesecake). Kids got a laugh and we covered it with fresh whipped cream. Will absolutely make again and will try with the lemon cream sauce next time! Thanks and best wishes for a lovely holiday season!
Sam
Oh no! I am glad the gingerbread was still delicious, Lee! With this recipe under-mixing can also make it cave in (not sure if that was the issue, just thought I’d mention that it’s not quite as delicate as the cheesecake). Thank you for commenting, and happy holidays to you! 🙂
Deb
I added lemon zest and to walnuts best gingerbread ever❤️❤️❤️
Sugar Spun Run
That sounds perfect, Deb! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Deb
Thank you I love to bake and you website is the bomb❤️❤️❤️
Sugar Spun Run
That is awesome! I am so glad that you enjoy my site. Thank you for following me. 🙂
Dee
Hi! Thanks so much for this recipe. My gingerbread turned out delicious. However, it cracked in the middle as well as the sides. Any idea what I might have done wrong? I’m a complete novice in baking. Thank you, happy holidays! 🙂
Sam
Hi Dee! Sometimes mine gets little cracks on the top, as long as they’re not super deep cracks that’s definitely not a problem and it doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong. Just cover them up with some whipped cream 😉
Dee
Thank you, Sam! I’d run out of cream, so topped it with a chocolate glaze instead. Either way, your recipe is an absolute winner – soft, moist and delicious! No more store-bought gingerbread 😁
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear, Dee! Thanks for trying my recipe. 🙂
Alice
What is the recipe for lemon sauce? It sounds great.
Brooke
Making this today! I want to double the recipe, do you think a 9×13 pan would work? Otherwise I have two 9 inch cake pans. Would appreciate your advice! Thanks!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Brooke! I think a 9″ x 13″ pan will work fine. I recommend keeping an eye on the bake time. I hope that you enjoy the gingerbread! 🙂
Tammy Hayes
I multiply the ingredients by 1.5 and baked in a 11×13 pan. This used whole jar of Grandmas molasses and allowed me to share with my neighbors! Delicious!!!
Sam
Thank you for the feedback, Tammy! I am so glad everyone enjoyed the gingerbread! 🙂
Sharon
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Sam
Hi Sharon! It should hold up just fine being frozen, just make sure you wrap it well. 🙂
Suz
What is the difference with the unsulphered molasses?
Sugar Spun Run
The key factor between unsulphered and sulfured molasses is sugarcane maturity. Unsulphured molasses is extracted from mature sugarcane. Sulphured molasses, on the other hand, is made from sugarcane that hasn’t had as much time to mature. In baking, unsulphered molasses helps keep the cookie softer and not too sweet.
Scott G
This is absolutely fantastic!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Scott! I am so glad that you enjoyed the gingerbread. Happy Holidays to you! 🙂
Cherry
I have my mom’s cookbook, the same as yours. I am going to try your tweeks. We always had our gingerbread cake topper with hot lemon sauce, it’s amazing. (Lemon juice, sugar, corn starch and water. Cook to blend and thicken)
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Cherry! I love the sound of the lemon sauce, I will have to try this when I make this recipe next. I hope that you enjoy the gingerbread. Keep me posted on how it turns out. Happy Baking! 🙂
Georgia Smith
Ginger and lemon, how can you go wrong!!! I will try it, Thank you! 😘
Cherry 🍒
I haven’t made it in years but I am experimenting. Going to check with daughters and sister to see if anyone has it. I just did half cup sugar and 3/8 cup lemon juice (all I had on hand) and 3 tsp corn starch cooked over LOW temp to dissolve sugar and thicken. Ok but not quite right. ❤️
Lynn
Hi.. my Dear Mom used to make Gingerbread with a Leamon sauce and have been looking for it as she passed away in 2002. So can you give me the measurements for the ingredients PLEASE??? THANKS SO VERY MUCH AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!😊❤
Cherry 🍒
I haven’t made it in years but I am experimenting. Going to check with daughters and sister to see if anyone has it. I just did half cup sugar and 3/8 cup lemon juice (all I had on hand) and 3 tsp corn starch cooked over LOW temp to dissolve sugar and thicken. Ok but not quite right. ❤️
Christy Long
The gingerbread recipe to end my search. I make it all year! INSANELY GOOOOD!!!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Christy! I am so glad that you enjoy them! 🙂
Kay
Made a double batch of this, but the center did not cook at the same rate as the outside and the top collapsed. I’m not sure if this was because of the recipe or my oven (which is known to be weird).
Sugar Spun Run
Oh no Kay, I am sorry to hear that you experienced an issue. I have never had this happen to me with this recipe. I recommend getting a thermometer and checking to make sure your oven is baking at the correct temperature just to be certain. Regardless, I hope that your gingerbread tasted delicious.
Alexa
Just happened to me too