Moist Gingerbread Spiced Cake (Printable)

A moist, warmly spiced gingerbread cake with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses flavors perfect for any cozy occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
02 - 2 teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
05 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1½ teaspoons baking soda
07 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (115 g)
09 - ½ cup packed dark brown sugar (100 g)
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 cup unsulphured molasses (240 ml)
12 - 1 cup hot water (240 ml)
13 - ½ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (120 ml)
14 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan to prevent sticking.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with the dark brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Then blend in the molasses and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk; begin and end with the dry ingredients for a smooth batter.
06 - Gradually pour in the hot water, stirring gently until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.
07 - Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan and level the surface with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 32 to 38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
10 - Serve plain or optionally dust with powdered sugar or accompany with whipped cream for added indulgence.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The batter is almost pourable, which means every slice stays soft and never crumbles dry.
  • You can mix it by hand in under ten minutes without pulling out a stand mixer.
  • It tastes even better the next day after the spices have settled into every crumb.
02 -
  • Don't skip the hot water, it's what keeps this cake from baking up dry and tight.
  • If your molasses is cold and thick, warm the jar in a bowl of hot water for a minute so it pours easily.
  • Let your butter and eggs come to room temperature or the batter won't blend smoothly.
03 -
  • Use dark brown sugar instead of light for a deeper molasses flavor.
  • If you don't have buttermilk, stir a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar into regular milk and let it sit for five minutes.
  • Let the cake cool completely before you slice it or the crumb will stick to your knife.

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