With mellow, warm spices and a super simple method, this easy Gingerbread Cake is perfectly seasonal and festive. Decorate with sprinkles or top with whipped cream or cream cheese frosting.
We’ve long loved Gingerbread Muffins as festive holiday muffins (or just as a spice muffins whenever the urge strikes), and this Gingerbread Cake has many of the same flavors but is a smidge easier to make.
After mixing up the batter in one bowl, you simply pour it into a square pan and bake. It’s simple, delicious, and easy to dress up for a special meal or occasion as you like. It’s one of our very favorite desserts for kids.
We usually top with gold decorating sugar for a little extra sparkle, but Cream Cheese Frosting or Yogurt Frosting is also delicious with this snack cake.
This works well as a make-ahead Christmas breakfast or as an easy snack to share with the kids while playing (or making Salt Dough Ornaments). It’s so versatile and so yummy.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to make this Gingerbread Cake recipe so you know what to have on hand. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and information.
- Plain whole-milk yogurt: Using yogurt in baked goods helps them to be super moist and delicious. It’s a nutritious way to add moisture without solely relying on oil or butter. I prefer to use full-fat plain yogurt in this recipe for maximum tenderness.
- Eggs: Eggs help the batter hold together nicely in this recipe. See the Notes for an egg-free option.
- Unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly): A little butter adds richness to this recipe.
- Molasses: Blackstrap, unsulfured molasses adds classic gingerbread flavor and mellow sweetness. It also makes the top of the cake ever so slightly sticky, which is a hallmark of gingerbread.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla extract rounds out the flavor notes in this snack cake. You can use pure vanilla extract or artificial vanilla extract according to your budget.
- Whole wheat flour: I use whole wheat flour since it holds up well in the mix with the rest of the moist ingredients, but all-purpose can be used as well. If you use all-purpose flour, you may need to bake the cake for a few additional minutes.
- Brown sugar (lightly packed): In combination with the molasses, this adds flavor and a hint of sweetness.
- Baking soda: Fresh, active baking soda helps the cake rise and bake through properly.
- Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and allspice (or ground cloves): The combination of these spices adds the classic warmth you expect from gingerbread.
- Coarse or decorating sugar, or whipped cream or Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the steps involved in making this Easy Gingerbread Cake so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full recipe with the specifics on timing and amounts.
Step 1. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yogurt mixture.
Step 3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing to the edges with a spatula or spoon.
Step 4. Sprinkle the top with coarse or decorating sugar, if using. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
TIP: I prefer to bake this in a parchment-lined pan so it’s easy to cut and serve, but you can also just grease the pan with nonstick spray.
Ground ginger is typically added to gingerbread, or at least that’s the easiest way to add classic gingerbread flavor to this easy recipe.
Gingerbread has ginger plus molasses, allspice or cloves, cinnamon and more. Ginger cake may just have ginger for flavoring.
Gingerbread pairs nicely with Cream Cheese Frosting, chocolate, citrus, and berries.
How to Store
Once cooled, store Gingerbread Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also store it in the fridge if you’d like, though it does firm up a little when cold.
To make ahead and freeze, let cool fully and freeze the entire cake in a gallon-size freezer bag or slice into bars and freeze in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
Best Tips for Success
- If you don’t have molasses, you can swap in honey. The cake will taste less like gingerbread, though.
- Serve topped with whipped cream or Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Dairy-free: Use vegetable or coconut oil in place of the butter and ¾ cup nondairy milk in place of the yogurt.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 style-gluten-free flour blend such as the one from King Arthur Flour.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs. Add ½ cup milk and proceed with the recipe.
- You may also like my Christmas Cookies for Kids, Olive Oil Cake and my Applesauce Cake.
- This is the gold decorating sugar I use in this recipe.
Related Recipes
Muffins
Favorite Gingerbread Muffins
Desserts
Healthy Chocolate Cake
Desserts
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
Birthdays
Sweet Potato Baby Cake
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Easy Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar (lightly packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice (or cloves)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Coarse or decorating sugar, or whipped cream or Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, eggs, butter, molasses, and vanilla.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, and salt.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the yogurt mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse or decorating sugar, if using. (I like to use gold decorating sugar.)
- Bake for 20-24 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Cool pan on a wire rack. (If you lined the pan with parchment paper, lift it out and onto a wire rack to cool.)
- Serve or top with whipped cream or Cream Cheese Frosting, as desired.
Notes
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. You can also store in the fridge if you’d like, though it does firm up a little when cold.
- If you don’t have molasses, you can swap in honey. The cake will taste less like gingerbread, though.
- Serve topped with whipped cream or Cream Cheese Frosting.
- Dairy-free: Use vegetable or coconut oil in place of the butter and ¾ cup nondairy milk in place of the yogurt.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1-style gluten-free flour blend such as the one from King Arthur Flour.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs. Add ½ cup milk and proceed with the recipe.
Another moist, delicious winner in our house! Used maple syrup instead of molasses and it turned out fine. No need for icing, it was flavorful and sweet without it. I’m looking forward to doubling the recipe and making in a bundt pan for Christmas brunch with my whole family (will procure Molasses for that occasion)! Your baking recipes are my go-to!!
Hi there! I made this recipe last year and loved it. I’m considering making it in a bundt pan this year, for the extra wow factor with miminal effort. Has anyone tried? I’m wondering if I should double the recipe.
Hi Dana, if you have a standard sized bundt cake pan I would recommend doubling the recipe so that you have enough batter to fill the bundt pan. Enjoy!
Is there a way to prep or make this ahead?
Hi Grace, to make ahead and freeze, let cool fully and freeze the entire cake in a gallon-size freezer bag or slice into bars and freeze in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or in the fridge. Enjoy!
Hi! If I am doubling, what size pan should I use and how should I adjust the bake time? Thanks!
I’d use a 9×13 inch pan and start checking for doneness at 26 minutes, then go 2-4 minutes more until the center is set and a cake tester inserted comes out cleanly
We made this with GF flour and it came out amazing! I didn’t have anything to make cream cheese frosting so made a cinnamon maple one which worked out really well. It was even better the next day and our whole house loved it!
So moist & delicious! We substituted nutmeg for allspice & maple syrup for molasses.
Could I use use whole milk or heavy cream instead of yogurt?
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, but I think you’d want to use a little less than the yogurt amount.
This was so good! I subbed GF flour and it turned out lovely. Had to have the gold sprinkles of course.
I’m so glad to hear that!
I made this for breakfast today (dairy free version as listed) and everyone loved it! It fluffed up so much in the oven and had a wonderful tender texture and perfect spice level for little ones and adults to all enjoy.
This is so yummy! We tried the loaf pan for 50 min as you suggested & we also used flax egg & it turned out great. It will join the other treats of the plate of sweets we make for family!