Super Soft and Moist Gingerbread Cake
This vegan gingerbread cake is utter indulgence. It’s so soft and moist, with flavours of cinnamon, mixed spice and warmth of ginger topped with a decadent cream cheese frosting.
It really is incredible.
It can be quite difficult to find cakes that cater for gluten free vegans, but I’ve created many of my cakes and tarts for you. So no one will be missing out.
This is an absolutely brilliant cake to enjoy all year round but would especially recommend making this on a cold winter’s day, and served with a warm cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate.
A slightly ‘lighter’ alternative to this cake is just to simply substitute the cream cheese frosting for an orange drizzle. Either, will complement this cake beautifully.
I also like to call this cake a molasses spice cake as its star ingredient is molasses, a healthier alternative to treacle, as it’s packed with nutrients.
And is an excellent source of calcium, iron and selenium all of which are vital for strong bones. You can learn more of its benefits here.
Master the art of baking GF, DF & Vegan
Baking Free From 101
Looking for…
- Vegan no oil gingerbread cake
- Best gluten free gingerbread cake recipe
- Gingerbread cake with molasses cream cheese frosting
- Vegan ginger molasses cake
- Gluten free dairy free gingerbread cake
- Spice cake with molasses
- Dark molasses gingerbread cake
- Applesauce molasses cake
- Vegan gingerbread cake without treacle
- Best gingerbread loaf cake recipe
- How to make the best vegan gingerbread cake in the world
Then you’re in the right place. This recipe covers all of that.
The recipe
Start by making the dairy free buttermilk by combining the plant based milk and vinegar in a jug/bowl and set a side for 10 mins.
Then mix in the apple puree, molasses, oil and vanilla to the jug of vegan buttermilk and whisk until incorporated.
To a large separate bowl, add the flour, soft brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice and whisk to make sure everything is evenly combined.
Then pour in the wet ingredients to the flour mix and whisk until incorporated. (Don’t over mix)
Transfer the gingerbread cake mix to a loaf tin and bake for 40-50 mins. After 40 minutes, check if the cake is ready by inserting a knife or toothpick into it, which should come out clean. If the toothpick has cake residue on it, bake for another 5-10 minutes as needed.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting. Recipe here
Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting on top. (I melted my frosting for 15 seconds to get a slightly runny consistency so it runs down the cake-but thats completely optional, depending on how you want to decorate it)
Slice and enjoy.
Ginger bread cake decorations
It can be quite difficult to find the perfect decoration to top a gingerbread flavoured confection. The go to one, always seems to be gingerbread cookies. But sometimes, you just don’t have time to be making both a delicious ginger molasses cake and cookies!
So for me I went with something really plain and simple – just the cream cheese frosting for the molasses cake. But other gingerbread cake toppers could also be caramelised stem ginger, walnuts – crushed or whole. Or just a cinnamon spiced cream cheese frosting, with its cinnamon specks running through it.
You see the beauty of this moist gingerbread loaf cake is that it doesn’t need any fancy dressing up. It looks and tastes fantastic as it is!
Variations
Other variations you can create with this easy gingerbread cake recipe is to create vegan gingerbread muffins topped with cream cheese frosting.
Or perhaps you didn’t want any icing at all on your vegan gingerbread loaf cake, then you can simply leave it bare. The cake itself is packed with flavour and has a beautiful soft texture. But for some, the cream cheese frosting can just elevate the dessert.
Master the art of baking GF, DF & Vegan
Baking Free From 101
Super soft and moist vegan gingerbread cake
Equipment
- Loaf pan
- Bowls
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 115 g Plant based milk
- 2 tsp Vinegar
- 100 g Molasses
- 63 g Apple sauce
- 60 g Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 220 g Gluten free flour
- 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
- 110 g Soft Brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp All spice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 185°C. Grease and flour an 8" loaf tin and set aside.
- Combine the dairy free milk and vinegar to make the vegan "buttermilk", stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes.115 g Plant based milk, 2 tsp Vinegar
- Add the apple puree, molasses, oil and vanilla to the vegan buttermilk and whisk to combine.100 g Molasses, 63 g Apple sauce, 60 g Oil, 1 tsp Vanilla
- To a large separate bowl, add the flour, soft brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and whisk to make sure everything is evenly combined.220 g Gluten free flour, 1 tsp Xanthan Gum, 110 g Soft Brown sugar, 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 tsp Ground ginger, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp All spice
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Add the cake batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-50 mins. After 40 minutes, check if the cake is ready by inserting a knife or toothpick into it, which should come out clean. If the toothpick has cake residue on it, bake for another 5-10 minutes as needed.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting. (Refer to Notes)
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting on top.
- (I melted my frosting for 15 seconds to get a slightly runny consistency so it runs down the cake-but thats complexly optional, depending on how you want to decorate it)
- Slice and enjoy.
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my gluten free vegan gingerbread cake – is it now your best molasses cake recipe? Because I don’t know about you this is a pretty delicious eggless molasses cake.
Your Experience
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this easy gingerbread loaf cake. Did it turn out as you expected?
If you have any recommendations for any other recipes you’d like to see, say gluten free apple and cinnamon cake, vegan bundt cake or even healthy gluten free cupcakes ?
Let me know by commenting below.
*This blog post may contain affiliate links. Product mentions do not imply endorsement. Please read my disclaimer on my privacy policy page for more information.
© Leena. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.
I love this! I am always looking for new vegan recipes to take to potlucks and other sharing events and this is something new and different that will stand out! Thanks for sharing and I cant wait to make this vegan gingerbread cake for my friends!
Thank you Kaybee, I’m sure they’ll love it
I am in love with this recipe! I love gingerbread and with cream cheese frosting that just makes it even better! I love your cinnamon roll recipe too!
Thank you cori!
Gluten-free – this is now a very important topic for my family as my brother is allergic! Thanks for this recipe, it looks delicious and not very complicated. Thanks!
I’m sure you’ll love it!