This gluten-free gingerbread cake is rich with molasses, cinnamon and ginger. It tastes just like old-fashioned gingerbread cake and makes an elegant holiday breakfast or dessert!
Gingerbread cake is one of my favorite things to make during the holiday season. It’s perfect for breakfast, brunch or dessert and is a great easy cake to bring to parties and holiday meals.
This gingerbread cake recipe turns out like old-fashioned traditional gingerbread. It’s rich in ginger and molasses flavor and has a moist crumb and lovely texture. You’d never guess it’s gluten-free!
This gluten-free gingerbread is delicious topped with a cream cheese glaze or simply dusted with powdered sugar. Either way you make it it’s sure to disappear at your holiday gathering!
For another bundt cake, try this gluten-free pumpkin cake! You also might like this gluten-free apple cake.
For more holiday recipes, try these gluten-free ginger snaps, gluten-free sugar cookies and gluten-free Christmas cookies.
Video: How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
Table of Contents
- Video: How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
- More gluten-free holiday recipes
- Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients You’ll Need
Gluten-Free gingerbread cake has a few very specific, classic ingredients. I also have some ingredients I include in this gluten-free version to help it turn out perfect every time.
- A high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: I like to use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods. It works best to use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe.
- Almond flour: Adding a little almond flour gives this cake richness and flavor. If you’re looking to make this nut-free see the recipe card for instructions. It will still turn out great!
- Ginger + Spices: Ground ginger, of course, is the main spice in gingerbread! And this recipe has plenty of it. A few other seasonal spices like cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg also round out the flavor.
- Lemon juice: A little lemon juice gives gluten-free baked goods some extra lift and helps the crumb to be tender rather than dense.
- Molasses: A quintessential ingredient in gingerbread! I use easy-to-find unsulphured molasses. I don’t recommend blackstrap molasses. I also use unsulphured in these gluten-free gingerbread cookies.
- Hot water: If you look at any classic gingerbread recipe they all use boiling water to thin the cake. This gluten-free version uses the same trick!
How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
These how-to numbered pictures match up with the instructions below.
- Mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Add the butter (or shortening) and white sugar or to the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer). Mix to combine.
- Mix in the molasses, eggs (room temperature) and vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time.
- Slowly drizzle in 1 cup of hot water.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake. It will smell amazing!
Once the cake is cooled you can top it with a dusting of powdered sugar for a simple cake or drizzle it with some cream cheese frosting for a more decadent dessert. Either way is delicious!
If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can also make this classic gingerbread cake in a 9×9 square pan.
You also might like this gluten-free cranberry orange bread.
More gluten-free holiday recipes
Gluten-Free Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
Gluten-Free Cranberry Orange Muffins
Gluten-Free Coffee Cake (with Sour Cream)
Gluten-Free Apple Cake
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake
Gluten-Free French Breakfast Puffs
I hope you love this gluten-free gingerbread cake recipe as much as we do. If you try it, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
4.99 from 50 votes
Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
Author Erin Collins
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 50 minutes mins
Servings 10 servings
This GLUTEN-FREE Gingerbread Cake is rich with molasses, cinnamon and ginger. EASY to make and tastes just like like old-fashioned gingerbread.
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (300g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/2 cup (48g) almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
Other:
- 1 1/2 cups (320g) brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (113g) butter (1 stick) softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (120ml) molasses
- 1 cup (235ml) hot water
Cream Cheese Glaze (Optional):
- 1/4 cup (56g) butter softened
- 1/4 cup (56g) cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar sifted if needed
- 1-2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the brown sugar and butter. Mix until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Mix in the lemon juice and molasses. Mix well to combine, scrapping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture in three additions alternately with the water starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
MAKE THE GLAZE: Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together the butter and cream cheese. Make sure they are both softened so the glaze isn't lumpy. Add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Thin the mixture with 1-2 tablespoons of hot water. Microwave the glaze for 15 seconds to make to pourable (but not too hot), then drizzle over the cake.
Notes
MAKE IT NUT-FREE: Substitute the almond flour for an additional 1/3 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE: Use shortening instead of butter. You can also use dairy-free cream cheese in the glaze with excellent results. I like the brand Kite Hill almond cream cheese.
It works best to use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum in this recipe. I like to use gluten-free measure-for-measure flour (also called 1:1 baking flour) blend like King Arthur Flour in my baked goods.
I use unsulphured molasses (the regular Grandma’s kind you find at the grocery store) for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 548IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 3mg
RECIPE ORIGINALLY PUBLISH 11/2015. Post updated 11/2022.
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Categories: Dairy-Free Recipes, Gluten Free, Gluten-Free Breakfast, Gluten-Free Cake Recipes, Gluten-Free Desserts, Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes, , Soy-Free
Hi, I’m Erin!
BS Food Science,
MSNutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I’m here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you!