Classic Old-fashioned Gingerbread cake that is vegan, oil-free, whole grain and out of this world delicious, moist and full of amazing flavor from cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and molasses.
I’m so happy to have this post up for this Vegan Gingerbread Cake! I was editing my video last night and was sooo sleepy. Next thing I know, I woke up with my head laying flat on the desk, no lie. I literally fell asleep while typing, haha. I don’t think I’ve ever done that. Is that not hilarious or what? But, CAKE is here, so it’s all good.
Meet one of my all-time favorite cakes. I’m a huge spice cake lover and my favorite is gingerbread. The smells and depth of flavor….I can’t get enough. I originally started testing this cake recipe last holiday season. But I never got around to making it exactly perfect or posting in time last year, so here we are. Better late than never, right?
This is my favorite gingerbread cake to date. I used to make one back in the day that was filled with eggs, oil and sugar. Not only is this one healthier by a mile, it is better. That is how unbelievably delicious this cake is.
I admit I’m super picky when it comes to gingerbread cake. I need all the classic gingerbread spices found in old-fashioned gingerbread cake and especially, cloves! Cloves provide that extra deep flavor that specifically make gingerbread taste like that undeniable gingerbread. Classic gingerbread should be slightly dense, without being heavy, but spongy, fluffy soft and incredibly moist. They are notorious for their amazing, moist texture. This is due to the molasses and typically butter/oil content. If you look at classic gingerbread cakes, they always have that perfect flat, moist top. Once I finally nailed the recipe, it was pure glory. And the texture, my friends…I came up with the most perfect flour blend ever for this cake. The texture and crumb of this cake is amazing. It’s firm, slices beautifully, doesn’t fall apart and is perfectly soft.
Classic gingerbread cake is topped with simple powdered sugar or whipped cream. This is so a frosting doesn’t compete with the flavor awesomeness happening underneath.
I created my own Gingerbread Spice to use all season and it is divine in this cake. Not too spicy, but just enough to feel it in your throat and that touch of nutmeg and cloves in every bite. You will literally taste each spice as you are eating a slice.
The biggest surprise of all is that this cake is low-fat! My intention was not in any way to create a low-fat cake, it was just by accident, lol. Through my many trials, it was this blend of ingredients that was magic. There are NO nuts, coconut, oil or butter. All the moisture comes from 2 very important ingredients…applesauce and molasses. Without these, your cake will be dry as a bone. They are both magical in flavor and texture. I know some gingerbread cakes have a ton of molasses in them but I’m not a fan. This cake has the perfect amount for me.
HOW DO YOU MAKE VEGAN GINGERBREAD CAKE?
First, you need to gather the gingerbread cake ingredients::
- spelt flour
- brown rice flour
- cornstarch
- baking soda
- Gingerbread spice blend (see below)
- pure maple syrup
- molasses
- unsweetened applesauce
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 square pan (I used almuminum) with parchment paper strips going in each direction,
To a large bowl, add the spelt, rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, spices and salt and whisk very well.
To the same bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, molasses and hot water. Whisk gently in large circles until everything is combined and smooth, making sure to get the flour at the bottom, but DO NOT over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top and evenly to the corners. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes or when a toothpick is completely clean.
Cool the cake completely in the pan before slicing.
This cake is dedicated to my friend Natalie over at Feasting on Fruit because she really loves *moist* cakes! 😉
Vegan Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 192g spelt flour (*SEE NOTES AT VERY BOTTOM FOR SUBS!*)
- 1/4 cup 40g brown rice flour
- 2 tablespoons 16g cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons 12g baking soda
- 4 teaspoons gingerbread spice I used my blend OR see Notes at the bottom of this recipe
- 1/2 teaspoon 3g fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup 240g pure maple syrup, room temp
- 1 cup 240g unsweetened applesauce, room temp
- 1/4 cup 80g unsulphured molasses (do not use blackstrap or sub!)
- 2 tablespoons 30g HOT water
NOTE: You will need a whisk for this cake to ensure a perfectly smooth batter. A spoon will not incorporate the batter well and will affect the texture. Please know that this cake I tested around 10 times to get it just right, so I cannot stress enough the importance of following the recipe and weighing your ingredients for accuracy. I cannot vouch for results if you sub flours or liquids. The molasses and applesauce are magical for flavor and moisture here and cannot be subbed or the cake will not be moist.
This is the scale I use! I've used it for years and I love it.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line an 8x8 square pan (I used almuminum) with parchment paper strips going in each direction, cut to fit and with overhang (not bunched in the corners). If you want to make muffins, use 14 parchment liners.
- To a large bowl, add the spelt, rice flour, cornstarch, baking soda, spices and salt and whisk very well.
- Make sure none of your liquids are cold before proceeding, otherwise your batter will not be smooth or mix well. To the same bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, molasses and hot water. Whisk gently in large circles until everything is combined and smooth, making sure to get the flour at the bottom, but DO NOT over-mix. As soon as it's smooth, stop mixing. Over-mixing the batter can make the cake dense and the center SINK. Now, taste that batter and tell me it's not out of this world!
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top and evenly to the corners. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes or when a toothpick is completely clean. Each trial mine was exactly perfect at 25 minutes on the dot. If making muffins, divide the batter between 14 liners, this will yield the perfect size. Bake the muffins closer to 20-22 minutes, being careful not to over-bake.
- Cool the cake completely in the pan for a minimum of 1 hour, no exception. This allows the cake to completely cook through. There is a lot of applesauce and moisture in this cake, so you don't want to cut too soon or it will be wet. Once ready to serve, lift the cake out with the parchment flaps. Use a very sharp knife to cut carefully into slices. Sprinkle with powdered sugar right before serving. The cake is so moist that you don't want to do the sugar until right before serving or else it just melts into the cake.
Recipe Notes
I recommend making my Gingerbread Spice Mix for this cake since I tailor made it for it. You can also keep the blend on hand for making this cake often, pancakes, waffles, muffins, etc. Or you can use a store-bought blend, just make sure it is one containing cloves! If you don't want to make my whole blend, then for this recipe, you can just add 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (use 1/4 tsp for a milder flavor), 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice.
To make this with regular white all-purpose flour, sub the spelt and brown rice flours with 1 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour and weigh if possible for best results. You will need 224 grams of the all-purpose flour. Please note that the texture will slightly be more chewy (less soft/tender) because of the higher gluten content than spelt and brown rice flours, but will still be a delicious cake. Be careful to not over-mix the batter. You will reduce the cornstarch to 1 tablespoon (this is your egg). The spelt/rice flour really is the most perfect texture, so getting that would be ideal but the white flour does work well.
To make this gluten-free, sub the spelt flour for superfine GF oat flour (I tested with Bob's Red Mill) and it will be the same weight amount (192g). Since oat flour cakes tend to be more dense, you will decrease the applesauce by 2 tablespoons. All the rest of the ingredients remain the same. Please note that the oat flour version is not as light/fluffy and is more dense, so is ONLY recommended if gluten-free is required. It is still delicious, just not as perfect of a texture as the spelt version.
Nutrition per slice: 115 calories, .4g fat, 1.9g protein, 27.3g carbs, 1.9g fiber, 13.3g sugar, 237mg sodium
I have neither of the types of flour you ask for and I live in a very small town within inadequate grocery store. Can I just use regular flour?
Hi Mary! I would sub the spelt and brown rice flour with 1 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour and weigh if possible for best results. You would need 224 grams of the all-purpose flour. Please note that the texture will slightly be more chewy (less soft/tender) because of the higher gluten content than spelt and brown rice flours, but will still be a delicious cake. Classic gingerbread naturally has a bit of a bite/chew anyways because of the molasses, so it’s not much different. Just be careful to not overmix the batter. You will still need to use the cornstarch (only 1 tbsp though), as that helps to bind the cake and replace the eggs. Please see under Notes at the bottom of the recipe for sub info. Let me know after you try it!
Hi, do you recommend using white or whole meal spelt flour?
Hi Gaby, I use the whole grain spelt flour from Bob’s Red Mill but I’m sure white would work too. I just wouldn’t use sprouted.
I don’t like gingerbread spices, can I just leave that out and sub chocolate instead?…..HAHAHAHA! Totally kidding. I’m simply going to use coconut flour because wheat kills….Are you laughing yet? But really, this looks insane!!!! Just as good as those darn cookies you got me hooked on!! You go with your bad gingerbread self!
Hahaha, you kill me! Yay! I’m so so happy you love those ginger cookies for my cookbook! Thanks a million for testing them for me, I know it was hard work, lol!
Well, that’s what friends are for. I mean, it was really hard to have to eat all those cookies but someone has to do it. I’m in the trenches with you!
Oh and 5 stars all the way…your gingerbread game is strong.
You are the best Sophia, thank you!! xx
Bahahahaha, you made me laugh out loud. People don’t get how hard you guys work on recipes and even with variation listed it’s never good enough. Kills me.
First of all, I cannot believe you literally fell asleep typing!! You clearly knew you had a winner with this recipe and were dedicated to get it out there, haha. With good reason, though, it looks absolutely incredible. Love the raining powdered sugar shot, looks like pretty falling snow 🙂 only better, because it’s cake. Blown away by the simplicity of the ingredients, everything about this cake is just perfection. Worth your crazy morning, I’d say!
Haha, I know right?! I apparently was EXHAUSTED if I fall asleep while typing, lol. Thank you so much sweet Sara! I am so super happy with how the cake turned out and I’ve eaten more than I can possibly even admit, haha!
Like Mary, above, I also live in a small town without exotic choices for ingredients. Would like to use WW flour or WW in combination with ? What can you suggest?
Hi Clare! I would sub the spelt and brown rice flour with 1 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour and weigh if possible for best results. You would need 224 grams of the all-purpose flour. Please note that the texture will slightly be more chewy (less soft/tender) because of the higher gluten content than spelt and brown rice flours, but will still be a delicious cake. Classic gingerbread naturally has a bit of a bite/chew anyways because of the molasses, so it’s not much different. Just be careful to not overmix the batter. You will still need to use the cornstarch (only 1 tbsp though), as that helps to bind the cake and replace the eggs. Please see under Notes at the bottom of the recipe for sub info. Let me know after you try it!
Oh and I would not use whole wheat, it has a very high protein content and with all the molasses in the cake, it would make it too tough.
I made this tonite. I didn’t have spelt so I used 1 cup whole wheat flour 1/2 cup AP flour and the rice flour. It was delicious! The gingerbread spice mix was great. Thanks Brandi!
Five stars!
Thank you so much Diane for taking the time to leave an amazing review! So very happy you loved the cake and my spice blend!
Thank you for the recipe. It is in the oven, smells amazing! Happy Holidays to you!
Awesome Bozena! You are so welcome! Let me know after it’s completely cooled and you taste it!! 🙂
Saw your comment on Facebook, so glad you loved it, thank you for making it!
Bahahahahaha!!! Omg I am dying, you are the best! Moistest of moist gingerbread ftw😂 Um but I think you need to go more in-depth on the mouthfeel…for descriptive purposes of course. But seriously , THIS CAKE. I can sense the moist-but-still-perfect-crumb-ness form here, especially in that “snowing” shot. With all the gingerbread baking lately I’ve come to believe that molasses does magical things for low-fat recipes that other liquid sweeteners do not. There’s a richness that goes beyond flavor I think, although boy do i love that flavor! I really don’t know why cookies get al the cred, I’d argue gingerbread cake is even better. Also funny enough I just bought a bag of spelt flour! I’ve been slowly incorporating more gluten back into my life starting with spelt, so now I know what to do with it. Although inevitably polishing the whole thing off in a matter of days may not be the best way to ease into gluten ha. It is stunning, it would’ve been wrong to frost such simple sweet-spicy stuff (and that’s coming from a frosting freak lol)
Hahaha…I knew you would just love that little sentence I threw in about dedicating my moist cake to you, LOL!! I just couldn’t resist after our convo the day before, haha. Totally agree…molasses is amazing, so amazing of an ingredient for so many different reasons. In small amounts it gives such an incredible flavor that you don’t know what it is, but you just know the baked good tastes phenomenal. And it is moisture magic where maple syrup doesn’t do anything for moisture really. This cake turned out to truly be one of the best cakes I’ve ever made and it is literally the most perfect sponge cake texture and the fact that there is practically zero fat to get all the credit is the most amazing (and unintentional, lol) part. All my trials were so worth it because I’m convinced I could just eat this cake for the rest of my life and be happy, haha.
Oh yay! Spelt was how I started cooking on this blog with gluten again as well! It’s such a low gluten flour and yields such SOFT baked goods and helps with moisture that it is definitely one of my favorite flours to bake with. I’ve found it does best in recipes where a flavor component can dominate so that the spelt flavor isn’t too front and center. Thanks Natalie! xx
I’m not a huge gingerbread fan (or at least I didn’t think I was) but I decided to give this a try and WOW. You are right–it is so moist and flavorful with all the different spices! Another wonderful recipe! I have learned so much by following your recipes, like weighing the ingredients. I didn’t even know my scale had a setting for grams LOL. And now the hint about the parchment paper. That’s a game changer for me. 🙂
Yay!! Linda, this makes me so happy to hear and especially that I’ve converted you to a gingerbread cake lover, haha! Yes, right?! I wasn’t kidding with being able to taste each spice in those bites…so glad you mentioned that too. I really wanted this to be the best gingerbread cake with a rich flavor, not bland or one note! I really appreciate your kind words and so glad to hear how much my recipes and tips have helped you, it makes me so happy to hear that! 🙂
Oh my gosh this is the BEST cake I’ve eaten!! I can’t wait to get home and make it myself. I’m visiting my friend Estee and she shared this cake with us!!! Sooooooooooo delicious!! And such a good Christmasy taste for this time of year!!!
Thank you SO MUCH Penny for the absolute most wonderful review! I’m just beyond thrilled it is such a hit, thank you for taking a moment to leave such kind feedback!
I literally served this to 6 different people with nothing short of raving reviews. Everyone said this is THE best cake they’ve ever tasted. Super moist and full of that gingerbread flavor. Please, please create more of these low fat, fluffy cakes. They are fabulous and everyone loves them. Who would’ve known with such a simple cake.
I absolutely loved your photo of the cake on Facebook, total perfection! I’m so very happy it was loved by you and all of your guests! You all feel the way I feel about the cake too, thank you so much for the amazing review!!
Absolutely delightful! I got a little nervous when you said the gluten-free version would be more dense, but with celiac in the family, the kitchen has been gluten-free for a few years now. I have to say using the GF version still created a fluffy, spongy, super flavorful gingerbread cake! I’m actually toying with the idea of using it to create cake balls, something I used to do before my GFV days and something my family and friends miss. (Basically you take a slightly warm baked cake and mix it in a blender with icing. You chill the dough, then scoop it into balls, and dip it into melting bark. Not in anyway a healthy treat, but at least this way, I’d be starting with a healthy cake. 🙂 Thank you for this lovely holiday cake recipe, Brandi. Now go take some much deserved time off. I hope you enjoy every moment of the holidays with your family! :0)
So wonderful to hear how much you loved this cake Colleen, especially since you made the gluten-free version! I agree it’s still very delicious and soft, just not quite as spongy as the original, but still so good and I’m glad it was a hit! Cake balls sound wonderful! Definitely sounds really decadent! Thank you again, you are always so kind. Happy holidays!!
Wondering what you think the best sub would be for the rice flour? I have spelt, almond, and coconut flours (and oat), but no rice! Thanks-I would love to make this tonight ❤️
Hi Lori, just use extra spelt flour then. So, another 32grams of spelt, which would make 224g total of spelt. Still use the cornstarch though. It should still be plenty delicious, just will slightly change the texture. Let me know how it turns out!
Thank you, for the wonderful healthy recipe.I also did not have brown rice flour.However, I have basmati rice and just blended in my blender some basmati rice to a flour consistency. Turned out to be an amazingly delicious fluffy cake. Thank you!
So awesome to hear that Yanka! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! Glad you loved it!
I made this tonight but the centre seems to have fallen…seems like the centre is under cooked maybe? I’m still hoping that after the hour of cooling it will be ok because it smells delish!
Hi Ann! That is odd, I have never had that happen and no other reader has had that issue. Did you sub an ingredient or over-mix the batter? Sometimes overmixing batters can cause a center to fall or if the measurements are wrong, but did you check for a clean toothpick as noted, from the center? As long as the toothpick is clean, it won’t be undercooked.
This cake is so so so yummy and also so easy to prepare! If you want to bake the most festive thing bake this!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this amazing review Julie! So very happy it was such a hit!
Fantastic. Love your site. And your whole philosophy. My wife and I went whole food, plant based two years ago after being vegan for 15 years. What a difference whole plant foods make. We are in our mid fifties and have no health problems whatsoever. We are very active too. We try to grow most of our food and have completely given up eating anything Americanized. Except……..during the holidays I get the urge for some type of desert. I’m going to give this a try.
BTW, nutritionfacts.org is my favorite website for the latest science. There is a whole section on gout. Go to the G index,
and click gout. Here is a very informative video from that topic. https://nutritionfacts.org/video/preventing-gout-attacks-with-diet/
Hi Blair! That is so wonderful to hear. Thank you for your kind words. Yes, whole foods homemade versus prepackaged meals is totally night and day for being healthy. It’s truly amazing! Thanks for sharing the link. I’m very experienced with gout having dealt with it for 10 years and have literally learned down to every single ingredient to eat and what NOT to eat, haha. Was a long road to get here and doctors were pretty much no help which is why I learned how to heal my husband on my own and it has been so wonderful and totally life changing for us. Thanks for visiting and let me know if you try the cake!
Only one word needed here….fabulous! I’ll be making that one again. Must say that I baked it for 35 minutes though.
Yes, doctors and gout. My friend has it and the doctor said they don’t know what causes it.
Hi Brandi,
This cake looks perfect, can’t wait to make it. You noted not to use blackstrap molasses but unsulphured molasses only. I only have an unsulphured blackstrap molasses, could that be used? I don’t know if there is sulphured blackstrap molasses, are they all unsulphured? At any rate is there something specific about the molasses being “blackstrap” versus just regular that makes a difference? Which brand of molasses do you prefer?
Hi Angie! Yes, the blackstrap molasses is MUCH stronger in flavor and very bitter tasting, which will be too powerful in the cake. Classic gingerbread tends to only use regular molasses and that is the one that needs to be used here. I use the brand Grandma’s that has been around forever and can be found at pretty much any store, even Walmart sells it and it’s super cheap, it will say “original” on the bottle. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, can I ask why not (blackstrap or sub) molasses. I had to google to see if I could get the right molasses in my area, still not certain, but all that comes up is blackstrap. I’m in Australia so we don’t have a lot of options like you do in the US. Really want to try this, thanks.
Hi Gemma! I actually answered the same question in the comment directly above yours, haha! If you can find the regular, that is going to yield the best flavor, however, if you absolutely cannot, you can try the blackstrap, but just keep in mind that the flavor is much, much stronger and bitter, so I’m not a fan of it in large amounts. You might could try subbing one of the tablespoons of molasses for an extra tablespoon of syrup to help it out.
Thank you.
Hello,
Apologies in advance if this is a stupid question, but I’m currently running pretty low on maple syrup, but have an ample supply of dates; so I was wondering if I could replace the maple syrup with dates/date paste?
Thank you :))
Hi Philia! Unfortunately date paste is not a very good idea for this cake. The date paste would make the cake very dense. This cake has a wonderful moist, light and spongy texture and using a thick date paste will totally change the texture. Also, the syrup is much more runny and it a big part of the liquid so the batter would be off as well. I would wait to make it until you can get more syrup for best results.
I made it last night, it turned out even better than I used to make with eggs and butter! Amazingly Delicious cake! Texture was great, tender and caky not like most gummy vegan deserts! (Next time I would put less clove) Thank you so much for the recipe!!!
Yay!! That is the best feedback ever! I felt the same way…so much better even than traditional with eggs and butter and white sugar, but it’s nice to hear it from a reader as well, thank you so much Olga!
I said that I was going to make this on my next day off. I just took a bite of the cooled gingerbread. Let me just say that 5 stars is not enough! My 5 year old son enjoyed licking the whisk I used to mix the cake with, & because it is vegan, I don’t have to worry about bacteria 🙂 We will definitely make this again! Thanks for another great recipe, Brandi!
Oh, that is just so awesome to hear Sara!! So very happy your son loved the cake, hehe, sounds like my daughter always wanting to lick the bowl and spoon! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
What a heavenly festive cake! I love the sprinkle of powdered sugar and action shot. And i especially love how easy this recipe is! Thanks for sharing it, Brandi!
Thank you so much Nisha! So kind of you!
Bahahahaha!!!!! You must have been crazy tired to fall asleep at the computer! Hope you’re feeling more rested now!! OMG. THIS. CAKE. I’m dying. First of all, the photos are so beautiful and magical – you absolutely captured the essence of Christmas in these photos. I’m seriously in love! Second…I’m almost willing to make myself sick just to eat a slice of this cake! Haha! It looks incredible. Molasses is a favorite ingredient of mine and paired with applesauce and your gingerbread mix must make this perfection! And reading all the five star reviews just solidified my theory! Ha!! I’m sure I’ll be dreaming about this cake tonight 😉
LOL!! You are too funny! I wish you could do gluten, but honestly, I’ve had people make the oat version and love it so much! It’s not AS perfect of a texture as my original version, but still incredibly delicious. Aww, thanks my friend..I was trying to give that Christmasy vibe for sure! I love doing holiday pictures, they are the most fun to me. I hope you are doing well. Miss you!
Hello Brandi,
What brand is the unsulphured molasses?
Not sure if I can get that here in Canberra Australia
thanks
sheryl miller
Hi Sheryl! I use the Grandma’s molasses brand. It’s a very common brand here. It doesn’t matter the brand as long as you use a regular molasses and not a blackstrap. If you absolutely cannot find it, then you can try substituting half of the molasses for maple syrup and the other for the dark molasses. I have not tested this personally, but this would be my best guess.
This looks awesome, and I love that it’s vegan too!
Julia // The Sunday Mode
This is the easiest and most delicious holiday cake I have ever made. I followed your recipe exactly as written, why mess w/ what looks like perfection in your video? I believe one key for the great taste is using fresh spices, especially freshly ground nutmeg. Merry Christmas!🌲
Oh Luci, you totally made my day! Best ever?! Yay! It is for me too, truly. And thank you so much for saying that and making it exactly as written. I understand sometimes people need to sub, but I’m glad you recognize and respect the effort that went into me creating this cake as perfect as it is, which is why I encourage SO much to follow the recipes. I test extensively for this reason. So glad you loved my spice blend! Thank you again for making it and leaving such a kind review!
Brandi! I just pulled this out of the oven about an hour ago and I have already eaten two hefty pieces, it is HEAVEN. Gah why didn’t I bring my camera with me to my parents house so I could share a pic!! But words will have to do. It’s funny because I’ve made numerous cakes with applesauce and maple syrup and even a few experiments with spelt flour now but none have been even close to this level of soft and tender and fluffy, there is something magic about this combo in these proportions you absolutely nailed it. I’m still in awe that it’s low fat and this moist (I think that word is haunting me now lol) Last gingerbread baked treat before Xmas and this wonderful cake could not have been a more perfect choice 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful recipe, I might even share some with my sister since it’s the holidays and all, but I haven’t decided yet haha! xo
Omg, Natalie, yayyyyyyy! You made my day, I’m just so happy you made the cake and loved it!! Thank you so much for making it. I know right, like I said above, it was never my intention to make the cake low-fat, LOL, but after so many trials of it not reaching that magic moisture level and texture, I finally tried with applesauce (was using yogurt which wasn’t working) and adjusted my ingredients a bit and once I took that first bite, I knew I had a winner. I couldn’t believe it either that it was so perfectly moist, yet not wet and yet no dang fat! Anyways, I certainly don’t blame you for not wanting to share, hahhaha. I’m making it tomorrow for my holiday party and to be honest, I am thinking of not even revealing the cake so I can hoard it all myself, just kidding! Maybe 😉 Thanks again Natalie, you really made me smile. I’m still dreaming of your peppermint bark and molasses cookies. Need to make one of those happen soon. Merry Christmas! xoxo
I made this for Christmas, so good! VERY spicy, don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like it that way. I’m so glad that it has no fat in it, fewer calories at the holiday table, yay! I was a bit nervous about using molasses as I HATE the taste of it, but I can’t feel it in the baked cake. Thank you for the recipe Brandy! Merry Christmas! 🙂
Yay! So glad you loved it so much as everybody else has Camelia, thank you for the awesome review! As far as being very spicy, are you sure you added the right amount of ginger because it’s actually not spicy at all to me, well spiced and full of flavor, but not spicy, heat wise and every single person has loved the cake, as you can see by all the reviews above, so I’m thinking too much ginger accidentally?? Regardless, glad you loved it. Thank you!
Yes, I think spicy was not the right word to describe it. I didn’t mean spicy as in too hot, but well spiced, as you said 🙂
I think people around here (Romania) are just not very used to well spiced desserts, they are usually much more mildly flavored, so it’s quite shocking I guess to get such a strong punch of cloves for example :)) Cloves and nutmeg are used very sparingly around here, and allspice is not that popular either, especially in desserts. For the longest time I didn’t even know what allspice was and just omitted it in recipes asking for it. It was my first time using it. I use large amounts of cinnamon every day and I love cloves as well, but the first taste of the cake was quite shocking for me as well. But I do love it! I just might reduce a bit the amount of spices when serving it to other people :))
Ahh ok, I didn’t realize you were in Romania. Yes, here in America, classic old-fashioned gingerbread has a lot of flavor, in fact, mild is too bland and boring with not enough spices. We love the rich spices, which is what make it a classic. It’s my all-time favorite cake growing up 🙂 I’m so glad you loved it, even if not used to classic gingerbread! It’s a big hit and classic here!
Yes, I’ve noticed American recipes are usually more generous in spices, but I don’t mind that. Whenever I’m testing a new recipe I like to test it as is and only afterwards modify it if it’s not to my liking. That way I can compare it to the original 🙂 Thanks Brandi! 🙂
Oh yum! I made this late last night and let it cool overnight, woke up this morning and couldn’t resist sneaking a couple of pieces with my Christmas coffee before taking the remainder 🙂 to a party later on. I love it! Because I didn’t have the flours you called for I used unbleached pastry flour and it turned out just great. Super moist and fluffy. I love the strong spicy flavors — a true ginger bread in the old fashioned sense. I’ll likely make this throughout the year — why wait for Christmas??? Thank you for this delicious and easy cake recipe!
Yay Andrea! So happy to hear that the cake was such a hit! Pastry flour is very similar to spelt and white flour, so I can see how it would work so well! Thank you so much for the review!
OMG, you fell asleep while typing, lol. Your cake sounds absolutely incredible, and I love that it’s low-fat and yet it looks so moist, fluffy and spongy. Amazing recipe 🙂
Thank you so much Ela! It really is such a delicious cake and does not taste low fat in the slightest!
I made this just before Xmas, it’s delicious! Super moist and gingery. I didn’t have brown rice flour so subbed ordinary plain flour, and it’s turned out just great. Thanks for an awesome vegan cake recipe 💫
Awesome Michele, so glad you loved it! Pastry flour is very similar to spelt, so that sounds like a great sub! Thank you so much for the review!
SO awesome to hear that Michele! Yes, the all-purpose flour version I provided below works just as yummy! So glad you loved it!
I made this for the 3rd time today. I continue to follow the recipe exactly as written because it is perfect although I prefer a less sweet cake, I did not want to mess up the ratio of liquid to dry since you put so much effort into perfecting the recipe.
Tip: use a very large bowl to fully mix all the ingredients.
So awesome Lucy! So glad you love it so much. I find it perfectly sweet but if you want it less sweet, then just reduce the syrup by 2 tablespoons and replace with a milk like soy and I think that should work.
I am baking gor my child who is gluten and corn intolerant. Can I sub arrowroot or tapioca starch successfully for cornstarch in this recipe?
Thanks for all you do to make baking more accessible for all of us!
Yes, I would try tapioca and that should work fine!
You fell asleep on your keyboard? And stayed there all night? Oh my gosh, the perfect example of how hard we food bloggers work, though I haven’t yet done that, I just shut down the computer and go to bed. haha
Clearly I need to make this cake to make it worthwhile to stay up! haha…seriously, I love gingerbread cake, and your photography is beautiful.
Thank you for sharing Brandi ! Dee xx
Lol, yes, well obviously it wasn’t intentional, as I woke up at my desk! So I clearly didn’t plan to fall asleep on purchase which is why that has never happened before. I’ve done that of course in front of tv, but never while working. Oh no, I didn’t stay there all night, hahaha. I woke up in the middle of the night and then went to bed, haha. Guess I was tired, lol. Thank you so much Dee, you are so kind!
Hi! I was wondering if I could sub the cornstarch for something else like, arrowroot flour or maybe even eggs? I don’t normally keep cornstarch in the pantry. Thanks!! Looks yum!!
Hi Elyse, I have not tested this with arrowroot so I can’t say. I personally find that arrowroot can tend to make things more chewy/tough, but you are welcome to try it, I just can’t personally vouch for the results. Cornstarch really helps to make the cake fluffy and I use it often in my recipes so it’s definitely a good investment if you want to get some. I definitely would not add eggs as that will add a lot of liquid to the recipe that would throw off the liquid/dry ratio balance. Let me know if you try it!
I made this with gluten free brown rice flour and gluten free ground oats. I also used a maple syrup made with xylitol to reduce the sugar content. It came out beautifully and is delicious. Thanks!
Yay! So glad to hear the cake turned out beautiful Pam, thank you so much for the lovely feedback!
This cake is so super delicious! My husband and children are in LOVE! I come back to your website often for all of your fabulous gluten free, low fat, vegan recipes!!!! Thank you!!!!
Wonderful, that is such great news!! Glad it was a hit with everyone!
Made this at Christmas to share with others and it was a HUGE hit!! Even some that said they didn’t like gingerbread enjoyed it. This is a MUST to make and share with others………..if you really want to share!! ☺️
Thank you so much Penny for making the cake and leaving the review, so glad to hear how much everybody enjoyed it! Yay!
I just made this and my daughter loved it! I had to cook it about 40 minutes and it is flatter and a bit more like a brownie than a cake. I followed the recipe exactly. The spelt flour was whole wheat spelt. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Sue! That is very odd. Something was off because I’ve never had that happen and no other reader has had that experience, as you can see from all the reviews above. It should be very light and fluffy/spongy just like in the photos, nothing like a brownie. Did you weigh the ingredients and was the spelt sprouted wheat? Did you use homemade applesauce? Sounds like something was really off with the flour or wet ingredients because it definitely shouldn’t need 40 minutes or have that result. You added the brown rice flour and starch? Also, you have to be careful about overmixing or it can make the center deflate.
Oh, just thought of something, by chance did you accidentally forget the baking soda? That alone would cause it to take much longer to bake and cause a brownie texture. The baking soda is what makes it rise and get fluffy and spongy.
No, I didn’t weigh the ingredients and it was spelt flour from the store, so who knows – I will weigh the ingredients next time I make it. Thanks!
Ok, yes weighing really makes a difference since we all measure so differently with cups. Even a couple of tablespoons of liquid or flour can affect the texture. 🙂
Do you think this recipe would work in a mini bundt pans? They make little individual sizes Bundts that are very pretty
Hi Jean! Yes, I do, I just have only ever made it in the square pan, so I don’t know how long to tell you to bake it or how many mini pans to divide it in not knowing the sizes you will be using, but my guess would be to not to fill up the batter more than half or so in each pan, otherwise if too much is filled, it will rise too much and then deflate.
THanks! I’m going to try them out for my thanksgiving table, I think they will so cute as mini bundts. I will let you know how they turn out
Just made this delicious cake, had to sub with blackstrap molasses (that’s all I had) and it turned out perfect. The spice blend is great too.
Wonderful Nancy, so glad you enjoyed it, thank you for the feedback! Would you mind clicking the star rating as well, they help me out so much!
For Brandi or anyone else whose made this recipe: any ideas or tips for turning these into cupcakes? I have my office holiday party (potluck) next week and I’m thinking these would make a great contribution. I’m curious about baking time for cupcakes. Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! I have not tested these as cupcakes personally, but know readers who have. I think they would take more like 20 minutes for a clean toothpick. I think it would make a dozen or more cupcakes. I would do a test batch first, like a half batch or something. Fill up the muffin liners about 2/3 full because if you overfill them, it will cause them to rise too high and then deflate.
This cake looks incredible and I’m excited to make it! My son needs gluten free, though. I’m planning on bringing it to a Christmas party tonight for lots of non plant-based people (to say the least lol) and don’t want to risk losing any fluffiness with the oat flour … couldn’t I just use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour blend in place of the spelt and brown rice flours (neither of which I have), as you recommend subbing the white flour? It can be subbed one-to-one for white flour and I’ve used it quite a few times with great success
Thank you Emily! Honestly, I don’t know. I never use that brand and from what I believe, most blends have added gums which make cakes too chewy in my experience. I’ve only tested the two versions listed so I can’t say what that brand would do to the texture. Not to mention, it’ll change the weights. You can try it, I just can’t guarantee the results. The spelt and brown rice flour yield the most amazing tender fluffy result and while the oat version is denser, it’s still delicious and made by many readers who’ve still loved it!
Holy dang, this stuff is incredible. I’m already compiling a list in my head of all the people I have to send a batch to.
Oh yay, so glad you loved it!
Hi Brandi
Made this cake and it was absolutely yummo. I’ve never had gingerbread cake before and wow, what a treat. I made your spice blend as i couldn’t find anything like it here in Oz. The centre sunk and unfortunately didn’t cook all the way through. Will make again and either leave it in the oven for longer or maybe turn my oven up a little.
Thanks again for another fabulous recipe.
Hi Julie, so glad you loved it!! If the cake sinks it’s because it wasn’t cooked through long enough before removing from the oven. Mine has never sunk. Make sure to leave it in until the toothpick is clean. Turning up the oven won’t prevent that, it would just make it rise faster and then increase the chance of it deflating. Another reason a cake can sink is if the measurements are off, did you use a scale or change an ingredient? Hope to help!
Thanks Brandi, I used scales and followed your recipe to a tee. I loved the flavour so much I’ll make it again taking your advice and leave it in the oven for a little longer.
PS my non-vegan husband loved it. ❣
Wonderful Julie, thank you! Yeah, ovens vary so yours just may need a bit longer 🙂
I only had blackstrap molasses, not regular. So I used 2 Tablespoons of blackstrap molasses and 2 TB of coconut nectar, and it still came out amazing! Wanted to eat it all in one sitting. Thanks for another great recipe
Hi, have you tried buckwheat flour and combine with the rice flour? Thanks
No I haven’t, I’ve only tested the versions listed. But buckwheat is gluten-free and not too sure how it would work in place of the spelt since it’s the main ingredient. I would think it would be crumbly but I have no idea.
Thank you for another amazing recipe! I made this for a get together. I have to say after trying it I wanted to keep them for myself. These are so addictive and beyond wonderful!
I especially appreciate your directions they are so concise, anticipatory and perceptive. It is like you are personally answering my questions before I even ask!!
Your recipes are my number 1 go to’s. 💕
This makes me so happy to hear Carol-Ann! I try really hard to be detailed and helpful, so thank you so much for noticing and appreciating it! So glad you loved the cake!
HOLY SHIT! BEST THING I EVER MADE! SO FLUFFY <33333
Hahahaha best review ever!!
This cake is amazing! I made it exactly as written, and used your homemade spice blend. I left out the confectioner’s sugar, it was plenty sweet without it. I took it to work so I wouldn’t devour the whole thing myself, and I had several people ask for the recipe. Thank you so much, deliciousness in its purest form.
Yay, so very happy to hear how much you and everybody at your work enjoyed the cake, thank you Sandy!
Hello! Thank you for the recipe!
Do you think I can substitute the cornstarch for other egg replacer such as 1tbsp of flaxseed and 3tbsp of water? Or that wouldn’t really work?
Hi! I wouldn’t no. The cornstarch helps to make the cake fluffy, whereas flaxseed will give a more gummy dense result.