Jump to Recipe
Video
Grocery List

As an Amazon Associate and Walmart Creator, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

This vegan gingerbread cake is soft, moist, and packed with molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. The batter comes together in under 10 minutes, and your whole house will smell like the holidays while it bakes. For more festive baking ideas, check out my vegan Christmas cookies.

Squares of vegan gingerbread cake on white parchment, one topped with vegan cream cheese frosting and chocolate shavings.

Once fall wraps up, I swap my vegan pumpkin cake for this old-fashioned gingerbread cake. Sweet, robust molasses and warm spices make a tender, fluffy cake that tastes like Christmas in every bite. Enjoy it warm or chilled, plain or with frosting, and it’s always a hit at holiday gatherings.

Love ginger? You might also enjoy my vegan gingerbread cookies, triple ginger vegan cookies, gingerbread oatmeal cookies, ginger fruit smoothie, or lemon cinnamon ginger tea.

Quick Glance

  • Recipe Name: Vegan Gingerbread Cake
  • Why You’ll Love It: A soft, moist molasses spice cake with no eggs or dairy, made with pantry staples.
  • Time and Difficulty: 15 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of baking, plus cooling time. Beginner friendly.
  • Main Ingredients: Flax meal, vegan butter, sugar, molasses, flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and hot water.
  • Method: Make a flax egg, cream the butter and sugar, beat in the molasses, mix in the dry ingredients and hot water, and bake in a square pan.
  • Texture and Flavor: Tender and fluffy, with deep molasses flavor and warm holiday spices.
  • Quick Tip: Use dark molasses, not blackstrap, for that classic gingerbread flavor.

Table of Contents

What Makes This Vegan Gingerbread Cake So Good

Toni Okamoto smiling and holding a slice of watermelon.

Gingerbread is a classic holiday flavor, and this eggless cake keeps everything you love about it. A simple flax egg takes the place of eggs, and vegan butter keeps the crumb rich and tender.

  • Quick batter: It comes together in under 10 minutes.
  • No eggs or dairy: A flax egg binds the batter, so everyone at the table can enjoy a slice.
  • Classic gingerbread flavor: Dark molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves give it that old-fashioned taste.
  • So versatile: Bake it as a square cake, sheet cake, layer cake, bundt cake, or cupcakes.
  • Freezer friendly: Freeze it whole or in slices for up to 3 months.
  • A reader favorite: It has a 5-star rating from 22 readers, and one reader made it for a party where everyone loved it.

Vegan Gingerbread Cake Ingredients

You only need simple pantry ingredients for this dairy-free gingerbread cake. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for vegan gingerbread cake, including flax meal, vegan butter, sugar, molasses, flour, spices, and water.
  • Flax meal and water: Ground flax meal mixed with water thickens into a flax egg, a simple vegan egg replacer for baking. Flax meal is just ground flaxseed.
  • Vegan butter: Use unsalted vegan butter at room temperature so it creams up light and fluffy. If you only have salted vegan butter, skip the added salt.
  • Sugar: Plain sugar is all you need, since the molasses brings the deep flavor.
  • Molasses: Use dark, full flavor unsulphured molasses. It’s sweet and robust, while blackstrap molasses is bitter.
  • All-purpose flour: Spoon it into your measuring cups and level it off, so the cake stays light.
  • Baking powder and baking soda: Together they give the cake its fluffy lift.
  • Ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves: The classic trio of gingerbread spices. Fresh spices make a big difference.
  • Salt: Just a little to balance the sweetness.
  • Hot water: Hot water thins the molasses and gives you a smooth batter and a fluffy cake.

Gingerbread Cake Topping Ideas

  • Vegan cream cheese frosting: Pillsbury cream cheese frosting is accidentally vegan. Stir in a little lemon zest from your Microplane zester or a pinch of pumpkin spice for my favorite frosting for gingerbread cake.
  • Buttercream: Try my vanilla vegan buttercream frosting or vegan lemon buttercream frosting. Caramel, espresso, or pumpkin spice frosting are delicious too.
  • Glaze: Drizzle it with my pumpkin spice glaze.
  • Vanilla or lemon sauce: Gently heat sugar with lemon juice and/or vanilla.
  • Caramel: Spoon over my vegan date caramel sauce.
  • Whipped cream: Add a dollop of coconut whipped cream, plain or sweetened.
  • Powdered sugar: A simple dusting looks so festive.
  • Decorations: Crumbled gingerbread cookies, crushed nuts, or pomegranate seeds.
  • Ice cream: Serve a warm slice with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream.

Add-ins and Flavor Variations

Add up to 1 cup of any of these add-ins, unless noted.

  • Nutmeg: Just a pinch for even more warmth.
  • Citrus zest: The zest of a lemon or orange adds a fresh citrus note.
  • Crystallized ginger: Add ¼ to 1 cup, chopped, for extra ginger heat.
  • Nuts or seeds: Walnuts, pecans, or pumpkin seeds.
  • Dried fruit: Raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates.
  • Chocolate: Fold in vegan chocolate chips in dark, milk, or white chocolate.
  • Apple or pear: Make a gingerbread apple cake with 1 to 2 finely chopped crisp apples, sweet or tart. Pears work too.

How to Make Vegan Gingerbread Cake

Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on 2 sides so the cake lifts out easily. You’ll find the full instructions in the recipe card below.

Flax meal and water stirred together in a small white bowl to make a flax egg.

Step 1: Make the flax egg. Stir the flax meal and water together in a small bowl and set it aside for 5 minutes to thicken.

Vegan butter and sugar creamed until light and fluffy in a stand mixer bowl.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the vegan butter and sugar with an electric mixer or a whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Molasses and flax egg added to creamed vegan butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Step 3: Add the flax egg and molasses. Add the flax mixture and molasses and beat until smooth.

Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground spices in a mixing bowl.

Step 4: Whisk the dry ingredients. In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

PRO TIP: If the molasses won’t mix smoothly into the butter mixture, add the hot water at this point instead of at the end. Either way works.

Flour mixture added to the molasses and butter mixture in a mixing bowl.

Step 5: Add the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients about ½ cup at a time, mixing until incorporated after each addition.

Smooth vegan gingerbread cake batter in a mixing bowl with a white spatula.

Step 6: Mix in the hot water. Pour in the hot water and mix gently, just until you have a smooth batter.

Gingerbread cake batter spread with a spatula in a parchment-lined square baking pan.

Step 7: Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.

Baked vegan gingerbread cake in a parchment-lined square baking pan.

Step 8: Bake and cool. Bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before lifting it out and slicing.

PRO TIP: If the toothpick comes out wet, keep baking in 5 minute increments and test again.

Toni’s Recipe Tips

  • Measure the flour correctly: Fluff the flour in its bag, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife, so the cake doesn’t turn out dense.
  • Mix gently: Stir the batter only until the ingredients are combined. A few tiny lumps are fine, and overmixing makes a dense, rubbery cake.
  • Spice it your way: Use more or less of the spices to suit your taste. Fresh spices have the most flavor, so if yours are older, you may want to add a little extra.
  • Stick with dark molasses: Light and blackstrap molasses won’t give you the same classic gingerbread flavor.
  • Let it cool: This cake is fragile straight from the oven. Let it cool before slicing, then warm up individual slices if you like.
A fork cutting into a square of vegan gingerbread cake topped with vegan cream cheese frosting.

Serving Ideas

Enjoy a slice of gingerbread spice cake alone or with a mug of vegan Mexican hot chocolate, homemade chai, or coffee. It’s also lovely with a mug of my classic vegan hot chocolate.

Storage Instructions

  • Room temperature: Keep the unfrosted cake loosely covered for 2 to 3 days.
  • Fridge: Store the cake, frosted or unfrosted, in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.
  • Freezer: Wrap the cake whole or in slices in plastic wrap, then keep it in a freezer bag or Stasher bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours.
  • To reheat: Warm a slice in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, or enjoy it chilled.
Squares of vegan gingerbread cake stored in a round container with a clear lid.

Vegan Gingerbread Cake FAQs

Can I use applesauce instead of vegan butter?

I haven’t tested it myself, but one reader swapped applesauce for the vegan butter and said the cake came out a little denser, with excellent flavor. If you try it, let me know how it goes in the comments!

Can I make this gingerbread cake gluten-free?

I haven’t tested it, but an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur, should work in place of the all-purpose flour. The cake may turn out slightly denser or drier.

Can I use a 9×13 pan?

Yes! To make a 9×13-inch gingerbread sheet cake, make 1 ½ batches of batter. The baking time will vary, so test it with a toothpick.

Can I make a gingerbread layer cake or bundt cake?

Yes, though the baking time will vary. For a layer cake, double the batter to make two 9-inch or 10-inch round cakes. One batch is enough for a 2 or 3 layer 6-inch cake. You can also bake this batter in a bundt pan.

Can I make gingerbread cupcakes or mini loaves?

Yes! For cupcakes, fill a lined cupcake tin about ¾ full and bake for about 18 to 22 minutes. I haven’t tested mini loaf pans, but they should work too and make lovely holiday gifts. Start checking them early with a toothpick, since smaller pans bake faster.

More Vegan Holiday Desserts

If you tried this vegan gingerbread cake or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

Cookbooks

If you’re loving my recipes and would like a more comprehensive resource, check out my cookbooks!

BUY my cookbook

Vegan Gingerbread Cake

5 from 22 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 9 squares
Completed Vegan Gingerbread Cake slices on a white surface.
This vegan gingerbread cake is soft, moist, and full of molasses and warm spices. Enjoy it warm or chilled, plain or with frosting, sauce, or powdered sugar!
Grocery List Pin Print Remove Ads

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & get this sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!

Video

Ingredients 

  • 2 Tablespoons (14 g) flax meal
  • 6 Tablespoons (90 ml) water
  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted vegan butter room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
  • ½ cup (120 ml) molasses full flavor, not blackstrap
  • 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (240 ml) hot water

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on 2 sides.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the flax meal and water. Set it aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
    Flax meal and water stirred together in a small white bowl to make a flax egg.
  • In a large bowl, beat the vegan butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
    Vegan butter and sugar creamed until light and fluffy in a stand mixer bowl.
  • Add the flax mixture and molasses and beat until smooth.
    Molasses and flax egg added to creamed vegan butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  • In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
    Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground spices in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture about ½ cup at a time, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition.
    Flour mixture added to the molasses and butter mixture in a mixing bowl.
  • Add the hot water and mix gently until a smooth batter forms.
    Smooth vegan gingerbread cake batter in a mixing bowl with a white spatula.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
    Gingerbread cake batter spread with a spatula in a parchment-lined square baking pan.
  • Bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If it needs more time, keep baking in 5 minute increments.
    Baked vegan gingerbread cake in a parchment-lined square baking pan.
  • Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely before lifting it out of the pan and slicing.

Notes

  • Use dark, full flavor molasses, not light or blackstrap, for the classic gingerbread flavor.
  • Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife, so the cake doesn’t turn out dense.
  • Mix the batter only until combined. A few small lumps are fine.
  • If the molasses won’t mix in smoothly, add the hot water with the flax mixture and molasses instead of at the end.
  • Use fresh spices, and add more or less to suit your taste.
  • Serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with vegan cream cheese frosting, crumbled ginger cookies, or vegan whipped cream. Pillsbury cream cheese frosting is accidentally vegan and pairs perfectly with this cake, especially with a little pumpkin spice stirred in.
  • Store the unfrosted cake loosely covered at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, or wrapped well in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1squareCalories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 4gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 2gSodium: 381mgPotassium: 332mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 0.02mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 3mg

Additional Info

Author: Toni Okamoto
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Toni Okamoto

Toni Okamoto is the founder of Plant-Based on a Budget, which she started in 2012. She has created over 1,500 budget-friendly vegan recipes and written four cookbooks, including a VegNews Cookbook of the Year and a Publishers Weekly bestseller. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, NPR, and NBC News, and has 2 million followers on social media.

More about Toni Okamoto
5 from 22 votes (19 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

    1. We at plant-based on a budget haven’t tried out that sub yet, so can’t guarantee the results. Let us know how it turns out if you end up giving it a try!

      Reply

    2. 5 stars
      I did substitute applesauce for butter, and although the cake was a little more dense (as expected), it worked just fine – & the flavor was excellent!

      Reply