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.
Helen
Could you use hot coffee instead of water?
Sam
Hi Helen! Yes. It may change the flavor profile a bit but I bet that it would be delicious.
Kristen M Gibson
Mine tasted a little salty and sunk in the middle – can you tell me what I did wrong?
Sam
Hi Kristen! Did you use salted butter or accidentally over-measure your salt? For the sinking part you may have just needed to bake it a little bit longer. 🙂
Toni konnick
You can use coconut oil instead of butter it tastes delicious
Kristen Gibson
I did it exactly as written and my cake sunk in the middle. What do you think I did wrong? I was so hopeful
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry this happened, Kristen! The gingerbread may have just needed to bake for a few more minutes.
Pennyholbrook
May I use this recipe in ginger bread men molds
Sam
Hi Penny! I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in molds, but of course the bake time will vary.
Courtney
Could I make this into cupcakes, and if so, how many would it make?
Sam
I have honestly never tried it as cupcakes, I think it would work and I think you’d get at least 12. Would love to know how it turns out for you if you try it!
Kristen M Gibson
I can only find an 8×8 pan. How long should I bake it for?
Thank you
Sam
Hi Kristen! I haven’t baked in an 8 x 8 so I’m not sure of the bake time. Make sure you don’t overfill your pan and just keep an eye on it while it bakes. 🙂
Carri
Fabulous recipe. What alternate flours work in this recipe to make it GF? Would Almond Flour work?
Sam
I honestly haven’t tried it so I’m not sure. 🙁
Geri
I only have salted butter. Can I use it and either omit the salt or decrease the amount called for in the recipe? I hate to buy unsalted and not use it again.
Sam
Hi Geri! You can just reduce the salt by 1/4 teaspoon. I actually have a post on using salted or unsalted butter that you can reference in the future. I hope you love it! 🙂
Michelle
I adore a good gingerbread, well anything with ginger actually. My question is can I double this and bake it in a 13×9 pan, but how long do you recommend.
Sam
Hi Michelle! You would probably only need to increase the recipe by 50% to put it in a 9 x 13, but I’m not sure what the bake time would need to be. If you try it I would love to know how long it takes. 🙂
Michelle
I did DOUBLE the recipe, it fit perfectly in a 9×13 pan and rose to the perfect height. I baked it in my CONVECTION oven at 350 for 45 minutes and it turned out prefect.
Amanda
It’s there something I could substitute for butter to make it dairy free? Breastfeeding mama here ..and this might break my dairy free streak!
Sam
Hi Amanda! You could try oil here. You would want to use the same amount but I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. 🙂
Toni konnick
Use coconut oil instead of butter
Irene
Hi. Is it possible to replace the molasses with something else? My local grocery store doesn’t have a supple of molasses.
Sam
Hi Irene! I honestly don’t recommend making a gingerbread without molasses. 🙁
Susan Carter
My Mom was not an especially good cook. However, she could bake anything! When I married, I asked her to please give me certain recipes that I really enjoyed. She obliged, but did not include her gingerbread cake recipe! She served it with a homemade lemon sauce that was out of this world! Just a tablespoon per square, drizzled on top. After much nagging and pleading (because it was my favorite dessert), she relented. Her secret? She used a boxed mix! I was so disappointed! My childhood was shattered! She told me it was the one thing that she just couldn’t seem to get right. I am excited to try your recipe this holiday season. Thank You!
Sam
🤣 She didn’t want to give up her secret. I think you are going to love this. 🙂
Ellen
Could you share the lemon sauce recipe? I have been looking for that.
Sugar Spun Run
Here is a recipe for Lemon Curd, Ellen! 🙂
Emily
Gingerbread is my brother’s family’s Christmas morning breakfast & they always serve it warm topped with applesauce! It’s so good! She uses a box mix which I don’t have at the moment so I’m looking for a recipe. Can’t wait to try this!
Sam
I think you’ll like it much more than that box stuff. Enjoy! 🙂
Vivian
Can you use buttermilk instead of water?
Sam
Hi Vivian! It would probably work, but the hot water blooms the ingredients and gives the gingerbread a better taste. 🙂
Gary
Buttermilk works great when I have substituted it in this recipe (1 cup of buttermilk, added alternating with the dry ingredients and mixed until just tender). I find the buttermilk version to be a bit more cakey and tender, the water version has just a bit more chewiness, especially around the edges. Both are delicious but tender is better for (for example) gingerbread cupcakes with cream cheese frosting ….