Dark and Sticky Gingerbread Cake
Why This Gingerbread Recipe Stands Out
This isn’t just any gingerbread loaf cake—it’s the best thing you’ll bake this season. Made with a blend of blackstrap molasses, dark brown sugar and unsalted butter, the cake is sticky, flavorful, and moist. Baking it a couple of days ahead is a good thing, as this kind of cake improves with time, allowing the flavors to deepen and the texture to get even stickier.
Ingredients
- Butter
- Blackstrap Molasses
- Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Unsalted butter
- Baking soda
- Milk
- Egg
For the Frosting:
- Cream Cheese (room temperature)
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
Supplies needed:
- 9 inch loaf pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Electric mixer or hand mixer
Instructions for Sticky Ginger Cake:
- Prepare the pan: Grease the inside of the pan with butter or spray. A loaf tin, square pan, or even a round cake pan works for this recipe.
- In a large bowl together the butter and sugars. Add the molasses and mix until smooth.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients—flour, baking powder, and spices.
- Combine and pour batter: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture stirring until a thick batter forms. Alternate flour additions with milk. Mix until a smooth batter forms.
- Bake and cool: Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50–60 minutes, depending on your baking tin size. Check the cooked cake with a skewer—it should come out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost cake when fully cooled.
Serving and Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week; the cake tastes even better the next day!
Tips for the Perfect Sticky Gingerbread Cake
- Don’t rush: Let the batter rest before pouring it into the prepared tin.
- For an extra sticky cake, brush the warm cake with ginger syrup (recipe below!)
For Ginger Syrup:
Mix 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar and some peeled fresh ginger chunks. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then simmer on low for 20 minutes. (Longer for a stronger ginger flavor!)
This sticky gingerbread recipe is destined to become your go-to for delicious recipes in the time of year when cozy, spiced treats reign supreme.
Other favorite gingerbread recipes:
Dark and Sticky Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 3/4 cup unsulphured blackstrap molasses
- 3/8 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
For the Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or grease an 8 or 9 inch loaf pan.
- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the butter and sugars. Whisk until the butter melts and the sugar has dissolved and is no longer grainy. Stir in the molasses and whisk until everything is combined. Set the pain aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the egg, vanilla and milk into the butter/sugar mixture. Sprinke the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger & cinnamon on top, whisking the dry ingredients together first and then incorporating them into the batter. Stir until lump free with no streaks or inconsistencies but don't over-mix.
- Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan. (It will seem very full, and I was sure it would overflow but it won't!)
- Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20 or 30 minutes, then run a thin, flexible knife around the inside of the pan to help the cakes edges release. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack before icing.
For the Frosting:
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Gradually add the powdered sugar and then finally the vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Spread on the cooled cake. Store in the fridge for up to a week airtight. (This is exceptionally good cold!)
Notes
Recipe adapted from: The Kitchn You can use regular molasses but it won't be as dark and rich!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
This truly looks sooooo decadent! I’ve never tried molasses before and now I seriously can’t wait!
Have a fabulous Christmas with your family, I’m sure Hugo will have a lot of fun!
xo, Elisa
Love this cake!
Have the best Christmas with Hugo!!! When you get back let’s make plans so you can finally meet Liam!!
I want to grab a fork and just dive in to this divine looking treat!
Sounds rich and yummy! Enjoy Hugo’s first Christmas! I’m sure he’ll enjoy the lights and the family interactions! Merry Christmas! <3
Oh my the last two days at work have been so hard. I just want to bake cookies, wrap presents, drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies. Oh yes and have some of these gingerbread!
That looks so fluffy and delicious! I love that it’s topped with cream cheese frosting, yummm! :)
It looks awesome, I just made it. Cooling it now, can’t wait to try it. I added some finely chopped sugared ginger to the cake. ;-)
Ooh I bet that made it even better!
yayyyy! your family is gonna have such an amazing Christmas, I know it :) And mmmm this cake looks sooooo delicious and complex!
Wow, looks delicious! Happy Holidays & Merry *early* Christmas!
I hope you’re having SO SO SO much fun with family and hugo!! Also, I was totally incapable of doing any work at all this week, so you’re not alone. THIS CAKE. So dark and dreamy.
How do you keep the rest of the loaf with the frosting on it?
I dont think i can clingwrap it like how you would do with banana bread without destroying the frosting
I just stored mine in a tupperware, You could do foil and kind of tent it over the frosting?
I’d love to try your recipe but I have a question: your measurement for brown sugar is 3/8 cup. Is that correct?
just a cautionary tale…I just made a blackstrap gingerbread cake…it was absolutely fantabulous…and
..it made me sick as heck…turns out blackstrap molasses could cause belly issues…especially if you already have belly issues…so enjoy it in little slices…and see how your belly does