Made with warm ginger and spices, blackstrap molasses and a combination of gluten free flours, this gingerbread cake will leave you addicted. I doubt it'll last more than a day in the house! It's super extremely moist and perfectly soft and bursting with flavor. Ok I'll say it, THIS GLUTEN FREE GINGERBREAD CAKE IS AMAZING. Enough chatting, let's make it!
Holly berry scene or snowy scene?
Why you should absolutely make this gluten free gingerbread cake!
The recipe is tried and true, has been made several times with great result!
This gluten free gingerbread cake is melt in your mouth moist, and still just as moist being in the fridge for 7 days.
It’s full of flavor and warm spices and close to perfection.
It's made with a combination of oat flour and almond flour and of course blackstrap molasses and lots of ground ginger.
I altered one of my favorite traditional family cake recipes to make it low glycemic, gluten free and dairy free, I added in molasses and warming spices! It was gone in a few days and I’ve had requests to make another closer to Christmas.
If you love gingerbread, you will LOVE this gingerbread cake. It is the best gluten free dessert!
Why you will love this gluten free gingerbread cake:
This gingerbread cake is soooo moist. It has the perfect texture, perfect amount of sweetness and spice with a lovely kick of ginger. It’s topped with a sweet icing which compliments the spices in the cake. It is one of my favorite recipes to date by far. If you are looking for an easy holiday recipe to please your family, or gift to your neighbor or friends, this cake would be beautiful baked in a pretty pan, sprinkled with some powdered sugar and given as a gift! (Plus, no rolling and cutting...)
This gingerbread cake is gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free!
And it’s still amazing I promise! You would never know it’s a healthier cake! I use a combination of almond flour and oat flour, which is my new favorite baking combination. However, you can substitute the oat flour for Bob’s GF 1:1 flour and that worked perfectly as well. I used dairy free butter sticks and sweetened with just a touch of coconut sugar and a couple tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE GINGERBREAD CAKE:
Fine Blanched Almond Flour
Gluten Free Flour or Oat Flour
Warming Spices: Ginger, Cinnamon and All Spice
Baking Soda and Powder
Blackstrap Molasses
Coconut Sugar
Maple Syrup or Honey
Vanilla Extract
Non Dairy Milk
Egg
Non-dairy Butter
SUBSTITUTIONS + SWAPS
1. There is no substitution for almond flour, it creates an amazing moisture in your cake. I have not tried a substitute for this. You may be able to sub both almond flour and oat flour for a gluten free all purpose flour but it has not been tested. It may come out more dry.
2. Oat flour is the other half of the flour blend. This can be very well subbed with a 1:1 all purpose GF Flour. I know Bob’s Red Mill is tried and true.
3. Ginger, Cinnamon and All Spice are the heroes of this cake! You cannot omit these. All spice may be swapped for nutmeg.
4. Blackstrap molasses is the richest of molasses, including the richest in iron and minerals. It’s a superfood! But you can use any molasses here.
5. Coconut sugar is my go to sweetener in all of my baked goods. It’s low glycemic so does not affect my sugar levels. If you are looking for a lower FODMAP option, use granulated maple sugar. Cane sugar may work as well.
6. Maple syrup is used, just a touch to compliment the flavor of the molasses and spices. You can sub this with agave or honey if you do not have maple syrup on hand.
7. Any non dairy milk will work in this recipe. I use oat milk.
8. I haven't yet tested a substitute for the egg. If you'd like to try, I suggest an aquafaba egg (3 tbsp of chickpea brine in the can) or even a flax egg, but it hasn't been tested.
9. I use Miyoko’s non dairy butter. Real butter will work too, or even refined coconut oil could be subbed.
FAQ
What bakeware will I need for gluten free gingerbread cake?
A loaf pan of your choice! If you decide to use a FULL size round bundt pan, you will have to double the recipe. The bundt loaf pan I used here was roughly 9”x5” and the batter filled it up about 3/4 of the way. You can find the bundt pan I used here.
Why do eggs and other ingredients need to be room temp in baking?
This is to ensure it is all mixed evenly and well. When you are mixing room temperature ingredients with cold ingredients, certain ingredients can clump up…. Like coconut oil and butter, since they are solid at when cold. Then you will have chunks of oil or butter in your baking causing it to not bake evenly and will ultimately lead to a fail!
To warm up an egg to room temp, place in a bowl of warm water for 2-3 minutes.
To warm up milk to room temp, place in microwave for 15-20 seconds.
How to store gluten free gingerbread cake?
Gingerbread cake should be wrapped up tightly in plastic wrap so the moisture is kept, and can be stored for 3 days on the counter top, or 7 days in the fridge. You may also store in the freezer and defrost when ready to enjoy. Slice up and wrap each piece individually with plastic wrap, placed inside a freezer bag or Stasher bag.
Can I make gluten free gingerbread cake vegan?
You will just need to swap the egg out to make this vegan. It has not been tested yet, but I think it will work since the recipe only calls for one egg. You may try 1/4 cup of applesauce, or even a flax egg.
How to frost the gluten free gingerbread cake?
I think a vegan cream cheese icing goes well with this cake. You can make vegan cream cheese icing from my recipe here. Or sprinkle generously with powdered sugar or granulated cane sugar or sugar of choice! If you'd like to make an easier sweet icing, mix together 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tsp of milk until it reaches desired consistency.
Other recipe notes:
1. This recipe is for one small loaf (it will fill a 9x5” loaf pan about 3/4 of the way up, or a 8” or 9” round or square baking pan for more of a sheet cake). If you want to make a larger cake or a full round bundt cake, double the recipe. My pictured bundt loaf pan took a little less than double the recipe.
2. If you don’t have all spice, you can use 1/4 tsp of cloves and 1/8 tsp of nutmeg in substitution.
3. To make in a full size bundt pan like in the photos below, double the recipe!
