Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
Discover the magic of simplicity with this Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake Recipe, served warm with a rich Brown Sugar Caramel Glaze. A vintage comfort food that fills your soul with the smells and memories of grandmother’s warm kitchen. It’s not just a cake, it’s a journey back in time. Don’t miss the caramel glaze, it makes all the difference!
Step into a world of cozy nostalgia with this Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake recipe. This heartwarming dessert combines the warm, spicy flavors of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses with a luscious Brown Sugar Caramel Glaze. Baked in a simple 9-inch square pan, this easy-to-make cake evokes memories of grandmother’s kitchen and is perfect for holiday gatherings or a comforting treat any time. Drizzle the rich, velvety glaze over the warm cake for an unforgettable vintage delight!
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This rich old fashioned gingerbread cake is comfort food from times past. It’s adapted from Jill Winger’s The Prairie Homestead Cookbook, It fills my soul with smells and memories of Grandmother’s warm kitchen. It brings images of dusted flour countertops and all the smells of gingerbread from my childhood. We are hoping this gingerbread cake will delight you and your family as it does ours. And it absolutely must be served with the warm caramel glaze! You sure do not wish to skip that, I promise you.
Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake Recipe:
This cake recipe has all the smells and tastes of homemade gingerbread but since it’s baked in a 9-inch square pan, it’s so much easier.
Ingredients for old fashioned gingerbread cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) preferable organic whole cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup hot water 100 degrees F
- 1/4 cup molasses
Equipment Needed:
- Mixing Bowl
- 9 inch Square Cake Pan
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
🥣 Recipe Tips
- Use High-Quality Molasses: Opt for unsulphured molasses, preferably a dark or robust variety, to achieve the deep, rich flavor characteristic of traditional gingerbread. Avoid blackstrap molasses, as it can be too bitter and overpower the cake’s balance.
- Don’t Over mix the Batter: When combining the wet and dry ingredients, stir gently until just incorporated. Over mixing can lead to a dense or tough cake, whereas a light hand ensures a tender, moist texture that’s perfect for soaking up the caramel glaze.
- Perfect the Caramel Glaze Consistency: For a smooth, pourable glaze, ensure the mixture reaches a thick, bubbly stage before removing it from heat. If it thickens too much after cooling, gently reheat with a splash of water or cream to restore its drizzling consistency before serving.
How to Make this Gingerbread Cake:
Start your gingerbread cake by greasing a 9-inch square cake pan and preheating oven to 350 degrees F. Then in a large bowl, add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt then blend well.
In another mixing bowl add melted butter, sugar, and eggs and whip. Then add in the hot water and molasses and continue to whip until very well combined.
Pour the molasses mixture into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
Spread into your prepared 9-inch square pan and place in your preheated oven for 40 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the old fashioned gingerbread cake from the oven and place on a rack to cool slightly. Then cut and serve with the caramel glaze below.
Brown Sugar Caramel Glaze Recipe:
Ingredients needed:
- ½ cup of Brown Sugar, (packed) preferably organic whole cane sugar
- 1 Tbsp Organic Corn Starch
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Equipment Needed:
- Small Sauce Pan
- Whisk
In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch.
Stir in 1/4 cup of water and whisk until smooth. Then add the cream and butter and cook until the sauce is thickened and bubbly.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and serve by drizzling over the cake while still warm.
If the Caramel Glaze is not served immediately it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. And to reheat, warm in a small saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
Drizzle the brown sugar caramel glaze over the still-warm gingerbread cake and serve it immediately. This Gingerbread Cake with caramel glaze is something we know you will serve over and over again as we did.
And one bite of this decadent, Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake, and you’re instantly transported to a time of flour dusted countertops and Grandma’s warm kitchen. Our beloved, rich brown sugar caramel glaze is not overly sweet it just amazing.
Other Old Fashioned Desserts:
🥣 Recipe
Equipment
- 9 inch square cake pan
- Wire Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed) preferably organic whole cane sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup hot water 100 degrees F
- ¼ cup molasses
For the Glaze
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed) . preferably organic whole cane sugar
- 1 tbsp Organic Corn Starch
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square pan
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and, salt.
- In a separate bowl, mix the butter, sugar, and eggs until well combined, then whisk in the hot water and molasses.
- Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 40 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is cooking make the caramel glaze (below)
- Remove from oven and serve warm with the caramel glaze drizzled over the top.
For the Glaze
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then stir in 1/4 cup of water and whisk until smooth.
- Add the cream and butter and cook until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Drizzle over the still-warm gingerbread cake and serve it immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Sounds so delicious. I have had only gingerbread cookies but this sounds so much better
Oh, it is! Thanks so much for your sweet comment!
I absolutely love gingerbread; hubby not so much which leaves more for me :}
Gingerbread Cake…..Yum. Looks delicious and such an easy recipe.
Thank You
The cookbook would be a wonderful addition to my favorite older cookbooks.
Thank You for this sweet giveaway opportunity.
Yes, it’s an amazing cookbook! Your hubby just might change his mind when you make this recipe! LOL
I love gingerbread! This recipe reminds me of making gingerbread in a cake form, in Home Ec class way back in high school. Our Home Ec teacher provided the recipes and we made them, of course. Yes, it has lots of good memories attached to a recipe too. Thanks for reminding me of those good days!
I love it when food inspires or rekindles memories! Thanks so much for taking the time to share that with us.
Oh, Evelyn! This was such a sweet and heartfelt post! I loved it, the recipe, and learning more about Jill! Can’t wait to try this cake this baking season! You know I’ll be adding the caramel too!
You are so sweet! Yes, we are so impressed with Jill and this is an amazing recipe! Thanks so much for your kind comments
This ginger bread cake looks and sounds delicious!
Thanks for the sweet comments! Enjoy!
This looks not too hard! Perfect to make with my 8 yr old
You are right, it’s an easy recipe and I bet your 8yr old would love making it.
Looks like a lovely warm recipe!!!^_^
Yes, it is! Thanks so much for your comment
This cake looks delicious. My mother regularly made gingerbread, but never with a sauce. That sauce has my mouth watering!
It is delish! Thanks so much!
It sounds fantastic. Going to have to make it.
Thanks so much, enjoy!
I will make this cake soon. The caramel drizzle sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing
Awe, you are so kind to take time to comment. We hope you enjoy it!
I can’t wait to try this recipe for Christmas this year! I think it will become a tradition!
We believe you and yours will love it! So Delish!
One of my fav holiday foods. This one was exceptional. Thanks for the recipe
You are very welcome! It is one of our faves also!
I haven’t made a gingerbread cake in years. I’ll have to try this one. I remember them being really yummy cakes.
We hadn’t made or tasted a Gingerbread cake in years also until we found this amazing recipe. It was totally awesome!
This recipe looks delicious.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment! We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Thank you so much for this recipe, can’t wait to try it!
You are so welcome! Thanks so much for the encouragement. Hope you enjoy!
My cake came out heavy. It was delicious. The texture was like a pudding. For the flour; should it have been SS or AP?The directions didn’t say. Also I used pumpkin pie mix. Did not fine pumpkin purée. Isn
This recipe clearly states to use all-purpose flour. And I’m not sure why you used pumpkin pie mix, the recipe does not use pumpkin at all. I’m sorry you had issues but are you sure this is the recipe you used? Please let me know if I can be of help.
Can you double this recipe for a large family?
Usually cake mixes are not recommended to be doubled. I have never tried it with this recipe so I would recommend making two different cakes for a large family or gathering.