This simple homemade gingerbread cake is just the right amount of sweet, spicy, iced and perfect for holiday baking!
If you love gingerbread recipes like we do, be sure to try my Soft Gingerbread Bars too!
Gingerbread Cake
Baking season is here! If you haven’t made homemade gingerbread before, I’ve got just the recipe for you! My homemade gingerbread recipe is simple to make and has just the right spice and perfectly sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Great For Holidays. This gingerbread cake is perfect for the Holidays. It’s soft with just the right amount of spice.
- Easy To Follow. With my step by step instructions you’ll have no trouble following this recipe.
- Sweet Icing! The sugary sweet icing brings the perfect amount of sweetness to the spice of the gingerbread.
Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe inspiration.
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make gingerbread cake at home. See the recipe card located at the bottom of the post for full details and instructions.
- Salted Butter– In my of my recipes I use salted butter, but unsalted works fine too.
- Dark Brown Sugar– Dark brown sugar is found near the light brown sugar in the baking section of the grocery store. You’ll notice it’s darker in color, it has more molasses.
- Molasses– Grandma’s brand is what I use. Find it in the baking section of the grocery store.
- Hot Water– Hot water is added to the wet ingredients.
- Large Egg– For consistency, I use large eggs in my recipes.
- All-Purpose Flour– Flour is the main dry ingredient in the cake.
- Ground Cinnamon– Ground cinnamon is a popular spice and is key for gingerbread recipes.
- Ground Ginger– Ground ginger is also key in making gingerbread flavored recipes.
- Baking Soda– Baking soda helps rise the cake during baking.
- Kosher Salt– Kosher salt is a coarse salt commonly used in cooking and baking.
- Powdered Sugar– Also referred to as confectioners sugar. This fine sugar is used to make the icing.
- Heavy Cream– The heavy cream is used to make the icing.
How To Make Gingerbread Cake
Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Cream Butter and Sugars. Place melted butter and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
Wet Ingredients. Add molasses and hot water, stirring until combined. Beat egg in a small bowl then add to wet ingredients, stirring to combine.
Dry Ingredients. Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda, stirring until combined.
Pour Batter Into Baking Dish. Transfer the cake batter to a baking dish.
Bake. Bake for 30-32 minutes, until cake is baked through. Use a toothpick to check center of cake. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Icing. To prepare icing, place powdered sugar into a large bowl. Slowly stir in heavy cream until icing is creamy and smooth for drizzling. Add more heavy cream as needed to thin icing.
Add Icing Over Cake. Drizzle icing over cake and cut into squares to serve.
Recipe Tips For Success
- Use Quality Ingredients. For best tasting results use high quality fresh ingredients for your cake.
- Don’t Over Bake. Bake just until toothpick comes clean from center. The goal is for a soft cake.
- Cool Cake Before Icing. Make sure cake is cooled completely before adding icing.
How To Serve Gingerbread Cake
Serve cake drizzled with sweet icing. Serve room temperature or chilled. Fresh fruit is a nice side to offer.
How To Store Gingerbread
Place any leftover squares in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
You Might Also Like
Homemade Gingerbread Cake
Equipment
- Oven
- 8 x 8 baking dish
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- Microwave
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup molasses I use Grandma’s Original
- 2/3 cup hot water microwaved until hot to the touch
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Sweet Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 4-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 8 x 8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place melted butter and brown sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Add molasses and hot water, stirring until combined. Beat egg in a small bowl then add to wet ingredients, stirring to combine. Add flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and baking soda, stirring until combined. Transfer cake batter to baking dish and bake for 30-32 minutes, until cake is baked through. Use a toothpick to check center of cake. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- To prepare icing, place powdered sugar into a large bowl. Slowly stir in heavy cream until icing is creamy and smooth for drizzling. Add more heavy cream as needed to thin icing. Drizzle icing over cake and cut into squares to serve.
Nutrition
Pin Homemade Gingerbread
Welcome to my online kitchen! Picky Palate is where you’ll find family friendly recipes along with the best Disney eats, tips and copycat recipes! 
Forgot the stars!
I really liked this cake. Its easy and great for the holidays. Its also good any time of day. I had some cream cheese to use up so I used a half recipe of cream cheese frosting from your Soft Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Bars. It was perfect.