The Ultimate Spice Cake

Ginger Spice Cake Doubles as Dessert for Breakfast

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It’s as perfect for dessert as it is paired with coffee at your holiday brunch.

By Jennifer Latham

Published on December 11, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Molasses and Ginger Spice Cake — Photo:
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs 40 mins

Yield:

10 servings

This tender spice cake is made entirely in a blender and features chopped fresh ginger, molasses, and warm baking spices to create an effortless and versatile gingerbread-like cake with a very moist, quick bread-like crumb. Its sweetness is tempered by the bitterness of the molasses and the zingy, spicy bite of the fresh ginger. You can dress this spice cake up for dessert with a scoop of lemon or vanilla ice cream, or serve it unadorned with coffee or tea as part of a brunch or lunch spread.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between young and mature ginger?

This spice cake recipe calls for fresh ginger. Mature ginger is more fibrous, with harder skin; young ginger has soft skin, pink tips, and is more juicy. Either will work. Look for young ginger at Asian grocery stores or farmers markets.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

It’s important to blitz the cake batter for the shortest amount of time possible in the blender. As it is, the spice cake will dome and crack somewhat, but the less air you can incorporate in the blender, the less domed the cake will be. If you like, you can carefully invert the cake for a cleaner presentation. Our testers also note that the cake batter is relatively thin, so be sure to wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil and place on a rimmed baking sheet to prevent any drips.

Make ahead

The baked spice cake can be refrigerated (without the toppings) in an airtight container for up to two days.

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Ingredients

Baking spray
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger, preferably young ginger
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 cup unsulfured dark molasses
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (about 8 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of black pepper
Whipped cream, powdered sugar, pomegranate arils, and thinly sliced candied ginger, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; lightly grease sides of pan with baking spray. Tightly wrap outer sides and bottom of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil; place on a rimmed baking sheet.
Process 1 cup boiling water and ginger in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar, oil, molasses, baking soda, and salt; process until well combined, about 15 seconds Add eggs; process until just incorporated, about 15 seconds.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and pepper in a medium bowl; add to ginger mixture in blender. Process until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake on rimmed baking sheet in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. (It’s OK if cake domes and cracks slightly.) Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove foil and pan sides; let cool completely, about 2 hours.
Dollop whipped cream around edges of cake, and dust center with powdered sugar. Top whipped cream with pomegranate arils and candied ginger.