Homemade gingerbread is full of cozy flavors and fragrant holiday aromas!
This gingerbread recipe is light and moist, made with warm spices and just a touch of baked-in molasses.
Start a New Family Tradition With This Homemade Gingerbread…
- This gingerbread recipe is a holiday classic.
- It’s my go-to for breakfast, snacking, or gifting.
- It can be frozen and thawed for last-minute guests. Freeze the whole cake or freeze it in slices to sneak a piece whenever a craving strikes!
What’s in Gingerbread?
Molasses: Choose medium or dark molasses over light for the deepest, richest molasses flavor. I would avoid using blackstrap molasses as it can overpower the flavors in the cake and won’t produce as moist of results.
Spices: Just like other spice cakes, fresh is best, so check the expiration dates on all of the ingredients for the best results.
Have a Little Fun With It!
- Mix festive dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, or currants into the batter.
- Sweeten it up even more by adding a handful of mini chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips.
- Top with sprinkles, orange zest, or a drizzle of royal icing to turn this cake into a decadent dessert!
How to Make Gingerbread
- Mix eggs with sugar, molasses, and spices.
- Add the remaining ingredients (full recipe below).
- Pour batter into a prepared pan and bake.
Cool and serve with whipped cream and a dusting of icing sugar.
Keeping Gingerbread Fresh
- Keep leftover gingerbread cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or up to a week in the fridge.
- Freeze portions wrapped in plastic wrap and in a zippered bag for up to 6 months and thaw in the refrigerator or at 30-second intervals in the microwave before serving.
Heavenly Holiday Treats
Did you make this Gingerbread for your family? Leave a comment and a rating below!
Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 cake pan or line with parchment paper.
- Mix eggs, sugar, molasses, spices, and oil with a hand mixer until well combined. Sift in flour.
- Combine baking soda and 2 tablespoons water. Add to the batter and mix well. Stir in boiling water until fully combined.
- Pour the batter (it will seem thin) into the prepared pan.
- Bake 40- 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and serve with whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Cake, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Recipe adaptation Mackasey, Joan. “Gingerbread”. Recipe. Among Friends Vol II. Calgary, AB, 1989. 203. Print.
I wish I had known before that the black strap molasses would produce a stronger taste. I would have omitted the clover.
I use this gingerbread recipe to make an apple gingerbread cobbler. It’s easy. Butter a 9×13 pan. Spread 2 cans of apple pie filling over the bottom. Top with gingerbread. Bake as directed. This is served with a homemade whipped cream garnish.
Hi Lynne, that sounds delicious!
yum!! had treacle so used that instead of molasses and left cloves out and increased ginger. it is a keeper!
Really moist and flavorful!
hi penny if you can’t get molasses is there something else you could use in the gingerbread cake please. I was thinking brown sugar if so how much please
Hi Lisa, I have only made this recipe as listed so I can’t say for sure. Maybe another reader has tried and can offer some advice.
love love love this recipe. not too sweet, just enough of it. Question for you. Every time I back it the center always drop. am I doing something wrong?
Sorry it didn’t turn out quite as expected. What size of pan did you use? We find using a 9×13 cake pan provides the best results with no sinking in the middle.
This receipe is superb. Easy to make. Great gingerbread very moist. YUMMY
I agree with the review that the molasses flavor was very overpowering but the cake texture itself turned out very good, light and fluffy but it smelled like it was burning in the oven. Reading a similar recipe on ‘ once upon a chef,’ Jen, the chef said not to use blackstrap molasses since it has a bitter taste, so I checked my molasses bottle and lo and behold it says blackstrap on the back of bottle in the ingredient section but not on the front ! Soooo lesson learned – of course beginner cooks would not know the difference – how many times do we use molasses In a year ? Lol
Sorry about the molasses flavor, Roberta! Your cake’s texture sounds amazing though, so maybe a switch to regular molasses will make it a total win next time!
The cake turned out well but I found that the molasses dominated the flavor profile to such an extent that you couldn’t taste the yummy spices that are in the recipe.
Thanks for leaving a comment, Janice!
I just polished off a big piece of this cake. I’m 67 …. sitting here remembering my Mama because the last time I had gingerbread, she made it. Good memories. I forgot to mix the baking soda with water. Was really mad at myself for that, but it was still delicious and turned out fine. Yes, I used a 9×13 pan, nothing boiled over, but it did sink a little in the middle. Who cares? Not me! So thank you Holly, for another good one!
I love that memory, Karen! Glad this recipe turned out delicious for you :)
The batter bubbled over my pans. Smoked filled the house. Not good. Oven is a mess and will need to be cleaned. More time wasted.
Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that, Jan! Were you using a 9×13 cake pan?
This was absolutely delicious, though I was a bit surprised at how high it rose–I was using a convection oven and had to shield the top, as it began to scorch. However, it didn’t affect the taste, and it was so moist and light. However, if you like a really dense, heavy gingerbread, this isn’t it.
I will definitely make it again, but I will increase the spices. I think I’d go with at least 2 teaspoons of ginger and cinnamon, and maybe use a heaping teaspoon of cloves. It was a little on the timid side for us.
Came out Great. Thank You.
Have had requests for more.
You’re welcome Rene!
Sinks badly in the middle. Methinks less water/more flour. But it’s SO delicious!
Glad you enjoyed it, Michael! Sorry, it didn’t turn out quite as expected. What size of pan did you use? We find using a 9×13 cake pan provides the best results with no sinking in the middle.
Mine rose incredibly high, as I noted in the comment. In fact, it even split, and I had to cover it to keep it from scorching. So your experience surprises me. I’d try again.
Can I give this 10 stars? I made this to take for my coworkers the last day of school. I made a cream cheese frosting to top it with. Every person who had a piece raved about it. It was so moist and just yummy. Even the one who doesn’t usually like gingerbread thought it was delicious and several people asked for a link to the recipe. I’ve been asked to make it again in January to celebrate New Years! Thanks so much for this recipe!
So happy this recipe was such a hit for you, Brittany! A cream cheese frosting would be amazing!
Hi it looks like in your picture you have batter in a bunt pan,is that what you use,thanks?
The cake is baked in a 9×13 pan Annmarie. Enjoy!
Can I sub some other fat for the veggie oil?
I haven’t tried this with other fats so I can’t say for sure.
Did I do something wrong??
It’s been in 40 minutes and smells burnt, and the middle is raw. :/
Oh no Leslie, I’m not sure what happened. Did you heat your oven to 350°F? What type of pan are you using?
maybe your pan was too large
Could I use gluten free flour in this recipe?
I have only made the recipe as written. Let us know if you try it Hannah!
The gingerbread was delicious, but not very sweet. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us!
I agree that it is not very sweet, even though the sugar and molasses seem like they would make it very sweet. Something is missing… I used dark molasses and I think it overpowered the recipe and the ginger doesn’t come through well enough. I might increase the dry ginger or add some fresh or chopped candied ginger as well as a lighter molasses. I baked it in what turned out to be a 9×11 glass dish so it took a bit longer.
You will have to let us know what you think when you add extra ginger or candied ginger!