Nothing makes a house smell more like Christmas than the sweet and spicy aroma of a freshly baked pan of gingerbread. We're not talking about the crisp cookies or the houses covered in icing and candy. The taste of those holiday delights just can't compare to a slice of tender, richly spiced gingerbread cake.
Similar to the classic cookies we love, a European cookie-like pastry was referred to as gingerbread for centuries. Recipes for this type of gingerbread were brought to America by European settlers, and molasses, which was less expensive than sugar, became a key ingredient, leading to a softer dough.
In the 1700s, Amelia Simmons’ cookbook American Cookery showcased seven recipes for gingerbread; one of them being “soft gingerbread baked in pans.” This is the first written recipe for cakey, American-style gingerbread.
The list of spices needed for this cake may look a bit lengthy. If you don't have all the ground spices on hand, you can substitute two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice along with the black pepper. We know it may seem odd, but trust us—black pepper adds a subtle spiciness that brings this cake to the next level.
![Old-Fashioned Gingerbread - Southern Living](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/-3xOp1wDLCCeb_Z8DLLvzyi6t_g=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Old_Fashioned_Gingerbread_017-8b4f90adec084f968240a0c38a6eca47.jpg)
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
What Is Gingerbread?
The practice of baking and sharing gingerbread originated in Europe several hundred years ago and then made its way to the South as families immigrated to the region and brought their recipes and traditions with them. Ginger from Asia and dried spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, and cloves, arrived by ship into Southern ports and traveled inland because they were easy to transport and store. Whole dried spices kept well and retained their flavor and aroma for months.
When combined with affordable sweeteners (like molasses or honey) and farmstead staples (such as butter and eggs), gingerbread could be made by home bakers when more expensive ingredients were not an option, which is why it became a wildly popular dessert.
Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
To make this dark, moist holiday cake, you'll need:
- Dark brown sugar: Adds a rich flavor to the cake.
- Molasses or sorghum syrup: Deepens the flavor and color, and adds additional moisture to the cake.
- Boiling water: Added to help dissolve the sugars and thin the cake batter.
- Cold unsalted butter: Melts into the hot water for a rich crumb.
- Baking soda: Helps give the cake its rise.
- Kosher salt: Enhances the flavor.
- Large egg: Binds the batter.
- All-purpose flour: The base of the cake.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves: This combination adds a deep, spiced flavor to the cake; can be substituted with pumpkin pie spice.
- Black pepper: Adds a subtle spiciness and savory quality to the cake.
- Powdered sugar: For dusting.
- Brown Sugar-and-Ginger Whipped Cream: Adds a modern touch to this old-fashioned cake.
![ingredients for Old-Fashioned Gingerbread - Southern Living](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/2jYHL4v7ygeEsYlvGmElBzE7Tlw=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Old_Fashioned_Gingerbread_001-729ec5f8f42045c69569658c97549910.jpg)
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
How To Make Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
This cake comes together with a quick mix for a surprisingly simple batter. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:
- Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk brown sugar, molasses, boiling water, and cubed butter until butter melts. Whisk in baking soda and salt. Let stand until lukewarm, then whisk in egg.
- Step 2. Whisk together dry ingredients; add to brown sugar mixture, and whisk until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9-inch square pan.
- Step 3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack, and cool completely.
- Step 4. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut into 9 squares. Serve with whipped cream.
How To Store Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
This old-fashioned gingerbread can be made a few days in advance, and in fact, the texture improves at it sits. Store well-wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days (sans whipped cream).
To get ahead of the holidays even further in advance, feel free to make this cake and freeze for up to three months for longer storage. Bring to room temperature, and it will be perfectly fresh when it comes time to serve.
Dust the gingerbread cake with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream fresh before serving.
More Gingerbread Recipes You'll Love
Can there ever be too many gingerbread options around the holidays? We think not. From cookies to cakes, muffins or cocktails, check out these recipes to incorporate a little spice into your holiday celebrations:
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Gingerbread Layer Cake
- Gingerbread Cake with Cranberry-Vanilla Frosting
- Gingerbread Biscotti
- Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream
- Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies
- Gingerbread Muffins
- Gingerbread Martini
- Chocolate Gingerbread Wreath Cookies
Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.
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Emily Laurae
Ingredients
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2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
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2/3 cup molasses or sorghum syrup
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2/3 cup boiling water
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1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
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1 tsp. baking soda
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1/2 tsp. kosher salt
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1 large egg
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1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
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2 tsp. ground ginger
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1 tsp. ground cinnamon
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1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
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1/4 tsp. ground allspice
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1/4 tsp. ground cloves
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1/4 tsp. black pepper
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Powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
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Prepare oven:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Make molasses mixture:
Whisk together brown sugar, molasses, boiling water, and cubed butter in a medium bowl until butter melts. Whisk in baking soda and salt.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Let stand until lukewarm, about 25 minutes. Whisk in egg.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Combine dry ingredients and brown sugar mixture:
Whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Add to molasses mixture, and whisk until smooth.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Add batter to pan:
Pour into a generously greased (with butter or cooking spray) and floured 9-inch square pan.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Bake and cool:
Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Transfer gingerbread to a wire rack, and cool completely, about 1 hour. (For the best texture, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container, and let stand at room temperature overnight before serving.) Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
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Top with powdered sugar and whipped cream:
Just before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut into 9 squares. Serve with Brown Sugar-and-Ginger Whipped Cream.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Frequently Asked Questions
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A simple dusting of powdered sugar is a definite for a gingerbread cake with a classic snowy finish, but when it comes to pairings: whipped cream, a maple or cinnamon whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of eggnog glaze, or more can all be served alongside.
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When mixing this cake batter, be sure to wait until the brown sugar mixture is lukewarm to avoid accidentally scrambling the eggs in the heat of the liquid.
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These two may look alike, but they're very different. While molasses is a byproduct of processing sugar cane into sugar, sorghum is made from the green juice of the sorghum plant. Sorghum is more complex, with a thinner consistency than molasses.
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If baked in a larger or smaller pan, the cake will be thinner or thicker, respectively. You'll need to lessen the overall baking time for a thinner cake, and increase it for a thicker one.
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While greasing a baking pan may be enough if the pan is nonstick, adding a thin coating of flour helps ensure that the cake will release from the pan cleanly and easily.