Moist Gingerbread Spiced Cake (Printable)

Moist, spiced cake with warm ginger, cinnamon, and rich molasses flavors. Perfect for winter treats.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
05 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
07 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

08 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - ½ cup packed brown sugar
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
12 - 1 cup hot water
13 - ½ cup whole milk

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
02 - Whisk together all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat the softened butter and packed brown sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
04 - Incorporate eggs one at a time, then mix in the molasses until fully combined.
05 - Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and hot water to the butter mixture, stirring just until combined. Fold in the whole milk.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly.
07 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Serve plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with whipped cream as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It's moist and tender without being fussy, with spices that taste like they're hugging you from the inside.
  • The batter smells so good while baking that your house becomes an invitation in itself.
  • Ready in under an hour, yet tastes like you've been planning it all week.
02 -
  • Don't use blackstrap molasses—the bitterness will overpower the cake's warmth and make it taste harsh instead of comforting.
  • Room temperature ingredients (especially butter and eggs) make a visible difference in texture; cold ingredients lead to an uneven crumb.
  • Baking soda needs that acidic molasses to work properly, so measure carefully and don't substitute with baking powder without adjusting.
03 -
  • If you love heat, add ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper to the dry ingredients—it sharpens the ginger without tasting peppery.
  • Swap the whole milk for buttermilk to brighten the spices and add subtle tang, though the cake will be slightly less tender.

Return