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Completed Vegan Gingerbread Cake slices on a white surface.
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5 from 22 votes

Vegan Gingerbread Cake

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!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 9 squares
Calories: 319kcal
Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

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.

Video

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: 1square | Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg
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