This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Moist and tender gluten free gingerbread cake, perfectly spiced and ready for the holidays or any time at all. Make this easy snack cake in one bowl!
Table of Contents
- Why this simple gluten free gingerbread cake recipe is the best
- How to make the rich cream cheese glaze
- Does this gluten free gingerbread cake freeze well?
- Gluten free gingerbread cake: ingredient substitution suggestions
- How to make gluten free gingerbread cake, step by step
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Why this simple gluten free gingerbread cake recipe is the best
I first developed the recipe for this gluten free gingerbread cake way, way back in 2011. All these years later, the recipe still works exactly as written. I'm usually a hopeless tinkerer, but this cake is undeniable, just as it is.
If you look at the list of ingredients, at first glance it might seem a bit long. But this is one of those dump-'em-in one after the other recipes, with the batter made in one large bowl. You don't even have to mix the wet ingredients together with the dry until everything has been added.
The recipe calls for 2 full teaspoons of each ground cinnamon and ground ginger. But the spices are perfectly balanced with honey, maple syrup, and molasses.
The batter is quite thick, and relatively sticky from all the liquid sugars. A moistened spatula is all it takes to spread it into an even layer in a lined baking pan.
An 8-inch square pan makes a very thick cake, which I really love. But it does take longer to bake. If the center jiggles at all, the cake most definitely is not done.
You may find you have to continue baking past the 40-minute mark until a cake tester comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached. If you're the impatient type, you can bake the cake in a 9-inch square pan, and it should be done in about 35 minutes.
How to make the rich cream cheese glaze
This recipe includes a sub-recipe for a cream cheese glaze, which is what you see on the slice above. It's not cream cheese frosting, which is like buttercream but with cream cheese in place of some butter.
This is a rich confectioners' sugar glaze. The glaze is made by adding a bit of cream cheese to confectioners' sugar, then thinning it with some water (or you could use milk) until you reach the proper consistency.
You want the glaze to be thickly pourable. If you make it thick enough, you can easily spread it, too. I like to serve it with each slice, rather than adding it to the top of the cake when it's whole.
If you look closely, you'll also find some tiny flecks in the glaze. That's some vanilla bean seeds that I added, but it's mostly because they look gorgeous in photos—especially with a bright white glaze that tends to look too white.
Does this gluten free gingerbread cake freeze well?
Well, it freezes successfully, but it's not really my favorite cake to make ahead of time and freeze for later use. The crumb is so moist it's almost sticky, for lack of a better word.
Because of that crumb, it's the type of cake that sticks to your fingers if you touch the top once it's cool. You know the kind?
Because of that amazing texture, I find that it's very hard to wrap tightly and freeze without damaging the cake. If you were to cool the cake completely, then wrap it to freeze it, even the best plastic wrap is likely to stick to the cake when you remove it.
But if appearances don't matter that much to you, or you know that you plan to slather the cake with the cream cheese glaze, then freezing it is fine. The taste will be spot-on.
Gluten free gingerbread cake: ingredient substitution suggestions
Gluten free dairy free gingerbread cake
If you can't have dairy, try vegan butter in place of butter in the cake batter. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko's Kitchen.
I also think that virgin coconut oil, the kind that's solid at room temperature, would work, although the taste may suffer a bit. Do not replace the butter with a neutral oil. You do need the extra 2 tablespoons of oil, but you should not make the cake with 8 more tablespoons of oil in place of butter.
In place of dairy in the glaze, you can use a simple sugar glaze, or use your favorite non-dairy cream cheese. I personally do not have a favorite nondairy cream cheese, since I have never tried one that actually captures the lovely slightly-tangy, rich and creamy essence of cream cheese.
Gluten free egg free gingerbread cake
There's only 1 egg in the whole, generously sized cake. You can probably replace it with a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel) would most likely work well.
Can you replace any of the sugars in this gluten free cake recipe?
I do not recommend attempting to make this cake with sugar alternatives. There are way too many sugars, and sugar is not only a sweetener. Sugar also provides bulk, and tenderizing to baked goods.
There are so many types of sugar in this cake, and yes, they're all essential to total recipe success. They're all well-balanced, and produce not only the right texture, but the right balance of flavors.
Molasses has a similar consistency to honey, but the flavor is very different. You can replace the molasses with honey, if you're willing to sacrifice taste. You should not replace the honey with more molasses, since the taste will be overpowering.
Pure maple syrup has much more liquid in it than molasses or honey, and a more mild, subtle taste. You cannot replace it with either molasses or honey without adding a bit more water. I'm afraid I do not know how much, so I can't offer any guidance. It would take trial and error.
Brown sugar is nothing more than refined granulated sugar with some molasses added. You might be able to use all granulated sugar in place of the combination of granulated and light brown sugar, and add a bit more molasses. I would add 1 teaspoon unsulphured molasses.
How to make gluten free gingerbread cake, step by step
Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 ½ cups (350 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend, (I used Better Batter; please click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 ¼ teaspoons xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (42 g) unsulphured molasses
- 6 tablespoons (126 g) pure maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons (84 g) honey
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature, beaten
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) warm water
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) neutral oil, (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, etc.)
For the cream cheese glaze
- 1 cup (115 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon lukewarm water, plus more by the drop
Instructions
Make the cake.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine well.
- Add the brown sugar and mix to combine, breaking up any lumps.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the molasses, maple syrup, honey, butter, egg, water, and oil, and mix to combine well. The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a moistened spatula.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs attached (40 to 50 minutes).
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the glaze.
- While the cake is cooling, make the cream cheese glaze. In a small bowl, place the confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon of lukewarm water.
- Mix until a very thick paste forms. Add more water by the drop, mixing to combine well after each addition, until you have a thickly pourable glaze.
- When the cake is cool, slice into squares and serve with a dollop of cream cheese glaze.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
It’s a delicious gingerbread! Many ingredients, but worth it. I am wondering, though, if it’s necessary to add a full cup of warm water? My batter wasn’t thick, as you said it should be, and took a very long time to bake (making the top a bit too brown). I am thinking 1/2 cup of water would be better-?
Hi, Deborah, the recipe is correct as written, so I’m wondering what gluten free flour blend you used, and if you measured by weight, not volume. Please see the gluten free flour blends page for detailed information on what blends I recommend and how to make your own.
Is there a way to make this dairy free? Thanks in advance.
In the “substitutions” section of the body of the post, Sharon, please see the text under the heading “Gluten free dairy free gingerbread cake”
I was dubious about using five different types of sugar and how sweet this would be, but it was great, the all-important molasses flavour really shines through. Here in New Zealand I had to bake for 80 minutes at 180°C. Worth it in the end, a ample and delicous loaf. Didn’t bother with the icing just ate buttered slices.
I’m so glad you gave the cake a shot. The different types of sugar are for complexity, not just for sweetness, as you can see!
This is a tender, delicious cake. I added an extra 1/2 tsp nutmeg and a dash of all spice. I live at 8800 feet so to prevent the cake falling I used only 7 tablespoons of butter, raised the temp to 375, and baked it for about 35 minutes. Delicious! I will keep this recipe. Thanks
Thanks for sharing your high altitude adjustments!
This had good flavor and color, but I needed to bake it much longer. I baked it an additional ten minutes and it tested and looked perfect, but when I took it out to cool the middle of it sank like a crater. I used KA measure for measure because I didn’t have enough BB. We ate the cooked perimeter and I made a lemon sauce to go with. We’re in a new house cooking with a gas oven for the first time in eons and still trying to figure out all the baked goods. I finally bought an oven thermometer because everything has been so inconsistent in this oven. My husband does a lot of baking, and nothing has used the usual times.
Once you get used to your oven, Tracy, I think you’ll prefer gas to electric. And as you know, I don’t recommend King Arthur Flour blends.
Outstanding! I made it first in the square pan per the recipe with no changes, and loved its spicy flavor and moist texture. This time I used a NordicWare “Anniversary” model Bundt pan, the 10 to 12 cup size. Stunning! I used vegetable shortening (Crisco) to prep the pan and it popped right out (15 minutes cool time). It’s going to a New Years Day dinner tomorrow, only 4 people. I have no doubt that it will be a hit! I use only confectioner’s sugar to dress it up. Only 1 celiac in the family but everyone loves this. Check your oven temp with a standalone thermometer. My oven runs fully 15 degrees cooler, so I set for 365 to get a true 350. I’ve *never* had an accurate oven!
I’m so glad you made the recipe in the specified pan at first, Sharon. That really helps with success if you make small tweaks, like using a different pan. I’ve never made this cake in a bundt pan, so I’m so happy to learn that it worked well for you. And yes, oven calibration is a common problem. I’ve never had one that was correct!
This is good. Had to cook A LONG time because the middle was still jiggly. But it was worth it.
I’d like to see MIX INS in a section. I put some shredded carrots in but didn’t know what else would taste good.
I don’t recommend mix-ins, as it’s quite a heavy cake to start with. Those shredded carrots are the reason your baking time was much longer. Carrots add moisture, upsetting the whole balance of the recipe, which when followed as instructed, works perfectly well.
I made this recipe vegan – used vegan butter and a flax egg- the batter was very thick and dense. Perhaps I should use less flour??
I’m afraid I’ve already provided all the information I can about ingredients and substitutions in that section, Kiet.
Would it be possible to bake this cake in three 8” layers? I realize I would need to increase the amounts of the ingredients, but will this work in a layer format?
I don’t recommend that, no, Linda. It’s an incredibly tender, moist cake, and I don’t think it would hold its own as layers. Sorry!
Im wanting to use this recipe as mini cupcakes instead. What would I expect the cooking time to be for mini cupcakes verse a full cake?
I’m afraid there isn’t a straight conversion like that, Kay. I have a recipe for gingerbread cupcakes, though. Please use the search function.