A homey and comforting gluten free gingerbread snacking cake that welcomes December with warm spices and molasses. A tender crumb makes it stand out from the rest, with buttermilk and molasses adding flavor and moisture.
Welcome the cozy season with a wonderful gluten free gingerbread snacking cake that will fill your house with the smells of holidays, spice, and winter warmth. This easy, delicious recipe pairs oat and almond flour to make a dense, sturdy cake that's sweetened with molasses and brown sugar for a beautiful caramel note and depth of flavor. I'm not kidding when I say this cake lasted about two days in my house. My girls loved it, always my barometer for a successful cake. I think you'll love it, too.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Wintry Gingerbread Recipe
- Easiest ever. I LOVE that all you need to do is whisk up this cake, no mixer is needed! That's just what I'm looking for in a holiday bake - quick, easy, and delicious!
- Rich and holiday-spiced. The cake is deeply spiced with all the good spices we expect in a gluten-free gingerbread, including ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Nibble or make fancy. I love calling cakes "snacking cakes" when they are unadorned and simple! This is a great snack cake AND you can add frosting or powdered sugar to dress it up a bit if you want.
What You'll Need for Gluten Free Gingerbread
Here's a quick look at the ingredients in this gluten-free gingerbread cake. The full ingredient amounts and detailed instructions will be in the recipe card lower down.
- Oat flour - My favorite baking flour, oat flour is a wonderful whole grain gluten-free flour made from ground oats. Sub sorghum flour or brown rice flour by weight if you don't eat oats.
- Almond flour - Use almond flour rather than almond meal for a finer crumb. To go nut-free, substitute teff flour.
- Leavening agents - Baking powder and baking soda and make sure they're fresh!
- Brown sugar - You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Buttermilk - To make homemade buttermilk, mix 1 tablespoon vinegar into 1 cup of milk.
- Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature incorporate easily into the batter.
- Butter - I used melted, unsalted butter.
- Coffee - Use coffee or hot water depending on what you prefer.
- Ground spices - Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.
How to Make GF Gingerbread
Here's a quick look in photos of how you'll make this gingerbread snacking cake:
- Prepare: Grease a 9" round or square pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the dry ingredients, then whisk together the butter and molasses. Add the coffee or water to the batter, then add the egg and buttermilk.
- Combine: Pour the dry mix into the wet mix and stir to combine.
- Bake: Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes at 350 F until set.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let cool in pan for at least 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Rest the batter: Let the batter rest while the oven heats. Oat flour, like all gluten-free flours, benefits from resting to let it absorb liquids. Budget 20 minutes if possible!
- Use room temperature ingredients: Bring ingredients to room temperature before folding them into the batter. This will allow them to better incorporate and result in a more evenly-baked cake.
- To make dairy-free: Make homemade, dairy-free buttermilk by whisking 1 tablespoon of vinegar into 1 cup of non-dairy milk. Let stand for 10 minutes, then use it in the recipe. Swap the butter for melted coconut oil or a non-dairy butter of choice.
- Make it refined sugar-free: Substitute coconut sugar for the brown sugar to make this recipe refined sugar-free.
How to Store
- Counter - Place squares of gingerbread in an airtight container and store it on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge - To make this gluten-free gingerbread last a bit longer, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
- Freezer - You can freeze the entire cake by wrapping it tightly in plastic, then foil, and storing it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Or place individually wrapped portions in a freezer-safe bag. Defrost the cake in the fridge before eating.
Serving Suggestions
Serve slices of gingerbread warm, with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream on top. If you're feeling extra, drizzle over caramel sauce. And around the holidays, you can sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top of the gingerbread, ice cream, or whipped cream for a festive touch.
More Cozy Gluten Free Bakes
If you tried this gluten free gingerbread please let me know! Or if you have any recipe questions, always feel free to reach out in comments or email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups/180 g oat flour
- ½ cup/60 g almond flour
- ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspooon ground cloves
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup molasses not blackstrap
- ¼ cup coffee or water
- 2 eggs large
- 1 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Grease a 9" square pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, coconut sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Place the melted butter in a small bowl. Whisk in the molasses, then pour into the dry ingredients in the bowl, mixing to moisten.
- Add the coffee or water to the batter, stirring to combine. Whisk together the egg and buttermilk; stir into the batter.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Let rest for 15 minutes for flours to hydrate, and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the pan in the oven bake the gingerbread for 35 to 45 minutes, until the cake just begins to pull away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan at least 30 minutes. You may slice and serve the gingerbread straight from the pan. Gingerbread will keep, well wrapped, in the fridge for up to five days.
Helen Spiridakis says
Such a comprehensive recipe! Thanks!
Helen Spiridakis says
Love all the possible substitutions. You leave no stone unturned. This gingerbread is absolutely delicious. Happy Holidays.