Gingerbread Cake is perfect for the winter holidays. Easy to make with warming spices. Topped with homemade Butter Rum Toffee sauce!
Gingerbread is a classic for Christmastime. Warm, rich flavors that only surface in the winter and around the holidays.
Though normally thought of in the form of little, simply shaped ‘men’, Gingerbread Cake is a wonderful dessert addition to the season’s sweets!
Drizzle on some Butter Rum Toffee Sauce and it tastes like the spirit of the season.
I love this dessert. It’s easy to make and feels straight out of Charles Dickens to me.
Gingerbread Cake
I found this recipe in a recipe file I had in college. Candidly I have no memory of it but the writing on the recipe card IS mine!
Not sure if I made it prior, copied it down from a friend or from whence it came.
Wherever it came from I’m glad I had it (and think you will be too)!
What is Gingerbread Cake?
This Gingerbread Cake is moist and soul-stirring with flavors not often found in current day cakes.
The molasses provides a deep, rich flavor, complementing the ginger and cinnamon.
Gingerbread cake tastes like other forms of gingerbread, just in a cake form.
What are the Ingredients in Gingerbread Cake?
Basic cake ingredients are also included in Gingerbread Cake. The key ingredients that provide the deep gingery flavor are the molasses, cinnamon and ginger.
Gingerbread spices can be a combination of a number of different warming spices we think of in fall and winter desserts.
- Shortening
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Molasses
- Water
- All-Purpose Flour (gluten free or regular)
- Baking Soda
- Kosher Salt
- ground Ginger
- ground Cinnamon
Make it Gluten-Free or with Gluten!
The flour used will determine whether the cake will be gluten-free or with gluten.
For gluten-free bakers: I suggest using your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
Butter Rum Toffee Sauce
The Gingerbread Cake is delicious on its own (would be great with some eggnog ice cream on top too).
However, I have my grandmother’s recipe for Butter Rum Toffee Sauce that seemed a perfect pairing.
My grandmother’s sauce calls for melting rum toffee candies as the base flavor which did not seem difficult until I started hunting for rum toffees…..and hunting, and hunting.
Clearly not a modern-day favorite or even mass produced any longer.
I recreated the toffee flavors through sugar and use of rum and the sauce is heavenly!
How to Store Gingerbread Cake & How Long Will Gingerbread Cake Last?
Store extra gingerbread cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days. The flavor will even improve over the first few days!
How to Store Butter Rum Toffee sauce? How Long Will It Last?
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Can you Freeze Gingerbread Cake?
Yes! Wrap the cake with multiple layers of plastic wrap followed by foil to ensure it is airtight. Store up to 6 months in the freezer.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake – Step by Step:
This is an easy cake to bake! Here are the steps; refer to the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Prepare a 9 x 9 pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with cooking spray.
- Mix together shortening, sugar and egg until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine boiling water and molasses; stirring to dissolve molasses. Pour into shortening mixture and mix to combine.
- In another separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Stir together.
- Slowly add to the batter, beating slowly to fully combine. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the sides of the cake are pulling away from the pan and the top of the cake is firm to the touch.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
More Holiday Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:
- Eggnog Magic Cake
- Holiday Pavlova with Raspberries, Pomegranate, Kiwi and Mint
- Peppermint Candy Cane Ice Cream Pie with Chocolate Ganache
- Sparkling Sugar Plums
If you’ve made this Gingerbread Cake recipe please RATE THE RECIPE below!
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Recipe
Gingerbread Cake with Butter Rum Toffee Sauce
Ingredients
For the Gingerbread Cake:
- ½ cup soft Shortening (E.g. Crisco shortening or equivalent)
- 2 tablespoons granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg , room temperature
- 1 cup Molasses
- 1 cup boiling Water
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose Flour (gluten free or regular)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
For the Butter Rum Toffee Sauce:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup granulated Sugar
- ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ¼ cup Rum
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons Cornstarch
Instructions
Instructions for Gingerbread Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a 9 x 9 pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a free standing mixer* mix together shortening, sugar and egg until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine boiling water and molasses; stirring to dissolve molasses. Pour into shortening mixture and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Stir together. Slowly add to the batter, beating slowly to fully combine.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes until the sides of the cake are pulling away from the pan and the top of the cake is firm to the touch. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Instructions for Butter Rum Toffee Sauce:
- Combine butter and sugars in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; allow butter to melt and sugar to dissolve. Stir constantly until butter begins to turn light brown (around 5 minutes).
- Whisk in the cream, rum, vanilla and cornstarch. Whisk constantly allowing sauce to thicken (about 15 minutes). Note: sauce will continue to thicken when removed from heat so it may not seem as thick as it will be in the end.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken. Can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 2 weeks and rewarmed when using.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published: December 20, 2012
Sharon says
I am going to make this today, I don’t have shortening, what do you recommend as a substitute, butter or vegetable oil?
Toni Dash says
We would not recommend either. We recommend making our recipes with the ingredients and method as written. The results shown are reflective of testing with these ingredients and method. We recommend waiting until you have all the listed ingredients.
Wendy Knechtel says
Wow! That was one of the best cakes I’ve ever had! And I love baking so this says a lot! We had it after Christmas dinner when everyone was so full that no one even wanted to touch dessert. But when they tried a mouthful of this perfect cake, they ate their whole piece. No one even spoke, it was like being close to something so great, you can’t speak. They even asked for more! Make lots of the sauce, you can use it on everything, even your fingers….mmm! Had to make it twice this past week, everyone loved it so much. Thank you!!!
Toni Dash says
Wendy I’m so happy to hear this! The sauce is a longtime family recipe and the kind that just isn’t made anymore. I’m so happy it’s a favorite for your family too! Happy holidays!
DONNA says
Hi Toni. Can you recommend your favorite gluten free flour? My sister is gluten intolerant and looking fir recommendations. Many desserts seem to crack easily without gluten! Thanks. Donna
Toni Dash says
Hi Donna! Gluten-free flours have changed a lot since I began GF baking. I like King Arthur’s GF blend which has no binders in it (xanthan gum or guar gum) for flavor. I feel the EASIEST flour to use is a measure-for-measure blend. These are developed with a blend (to get the properties of an all purpose wheat flour multiple gluten-free flours need to be blended) of gluten-free flavors and binders. These types of blends provide the same amount of this flour blend can be swapped 1:1 for a wheat flour and the same results should occur. For this type of flour blend I use Bob Red Mill. The flavor is neutral and it has preformed well when swapped into gluten recipes to convert them. Hope this helps!
Becky Hardin says
That rum toffee sauce … I could eat it by the spoonful. lol I love everything about this cake though.
Kara says
I haven’t had gingerbread in ages, and your version looks delicious! That sauce – oh my.
lauren says
I bet the house smells amazing when this is baking!
Lisa Campagna says
This sounds absolutely yummy! I am going to make this. I dont have a 9 inch pan. Can I make it in an 8 inch pan instead? Should I increase cooking time a bit if I do?
Toni Dash says
Hi Lisa. This might help in your situation: . I would just check for doneness and let that be your guide.
Sam says
I love this recipe! Just wondering if anyone has ever made this in a Bundt pan? I considered doubling the recipe and trying a Bundt pan.
Jenikah says
So happy to find this recipe! I’m not a baker by any means so this recipe seems a little daunting. I might try making the sauce and using it with a regular cake. Do you know if it can be made and stored and reheated when needed for use? Or does it need to be served fresh out of the pan?
Toni Dash says
Hi Jenikah! If you are asking if the sauce may be made beforehand and rewarmed, yes it can. Just keep it sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It will thicken when chilled but if you rewarm it on low or leave it at room temperature it will soften. You can use it on anything too so if you are more comfortable making cake from a mix, go for it! Maybe a nice spice cake? Would be great on ice cream too.