Homemade Gingerbread

One bite of this spicy, moist homemade gingerbread cake and you'll swear you're settled in Grandma's cozy kitchen enjoying her prizewinning recipe!

The aromas of cloves, ginger, and cinnamon drift through the house while this is baking making is seem like a holiday no matter what day of the year it is.

Table of Contents

• 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
• 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
• 📖 Recipe
• 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
• 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
• 💭 Insider tips: things to know
• 🥫 Leftover love: how to store homemade gingerbread
• 👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
• 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
• 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
• 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
• 💬 Comments

Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.

🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite

• Old-fashioned gingerbread cake is moist and spicy.
• It's the perfect snack cake! Light enough for breakfast, but sweet enough for an evening dessert. I love this in the afternoon with a cup of coffee.
• Be sure that you use an unsulphured molasses like "Grandma's Molasses" for this cake.

This classic gingerbread recipe will instantly transport you to Christmas time as a child. Made easily with robust molasses and seasonal, warm spices, it's the perfect, cozy treat-no matter if you're a pro baker or a first-timer!

First published October 29, 2015. Last updated December 8, 2024 for editorial improvements and readability.

🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need

This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.

📖 Recipe

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

1. Though I prefer the flavors of Vietnamese or roast cinnamon, you can experiment with different types to find your favorite! Any variety will work in this recipe.
2. A little bit of grated fresh orange zest is a delicious complement to the homemade gingerbread flavors! About a tablespoon or so is perfect.
3. Mix in some finely chopped candied ginger for an extra pop of flavor.
4. The coffee flavor isn't very strong with all the fragrant spices in this cake recipe. However, if you loathe coffee and are one of those people who can taste a drop of it in anything, substitute it for water.
5. Make old-fashioned gingerbread loaves by portioning the batter evenly between two prepared 9" loaf pans. I like to eat one loaf and either wrap and freeze or gift the other!
6. Garnish with some simple powdered sugar over top-that's all this perfect recipe needs! Though, I won't turn down a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, either!
7. Some people like gingerbread with cream cheese frosting and caramel sauce, too. In your own kitchen, you can do anything you please!

🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success

This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.

💭 Insider tips: things to know

1. Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges of the pan. This way, you can easily lift your cake up and out of the pan for pretty presentation, if you prefer!
2. Don't swap the brown sugar for white. While usually, you can, since we already have molasses in the recipe, the flavor would be too intense.
3. The chipotle powder and cardamom aren't traditional but I love the spice and flavor that they add! Leave them out if you're boring... just kidding! But, they do enhance the spices of gingerbread in my opinion.
4. Always use fresh spices! A good rule of thumb is if they've been in the pantry for longer than six months, you're due for a replacement!
5. Watch carefully not to over-bake the gingerbread because it does dry out quickly.
6. Check it at 35 minutes with a toothpick in the center of the cake, then every 2-3 minutes after that.
7. To prevent overbaking after you remove the gingerbread from the oven, immediately place the pan on a cooling rack so that the bottom of the pan/cake can begin to cool off.

🥫 Leftover love: how to store homemade gingerbread

You can store leftover gingerbread tightly covered at room temperature for about 3-4 days. Freeze for longer storage.

Name	Flavor	Best in	Origin
Ceylon cinnamon	floral, light, fruity, subtle	custards, fruit butters, elegant desserts, French toast	Sri Lanka
Saigon cinnamon (sometimes called Vietnamese cinnamon)	spicy, rich, sweet	cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, donuts, pumpkin pie spice	Vietnam
Cassia cinnamon (normal cinnamon)	sweet, delicate spice	baked goods, this is the cinnamon you probably have in your cupboard	China
Korintje cinnamon	rich, spicy, hints of clove and pepper	chai, chutney, curries, holiday treats	Indonesia
Roasted cinnamon	rich, deep, warm, toasty	baked goods, chili, hot cocoa, cocktails,	usually made from Ceylon or Cassia

👩‍🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs

Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!

📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love

🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose

Dice the gingerbread into small squares and add a layer to a bowl. Sprinkle with coffee or Kalhua. Add a layer of whipped cream over the top. Add another layer of gingerbread and repeat ending with the whipped cream. Dust with cinnamon and chill before serving.

📞 Wrapping it up: the last word

I adapted this recipe from  1975 Farm Journal's Country Fair Cookbook. I personally don't consider this vintage but a lot of you will.

I like to enjoy the gingerbread slightly warmed (a few seconds in the microwave does the trick!) However, you can also enjoy it at room temperature. Be sure to add a dollop of fresh whipped cream to the top - yum!