Gingerbread Cake

Warmly spiced with ginger and brightened with orange, this cake bakes up soft and balanced, filling the kitchen with familiar holiday warmth. Fragrant and gently sweet, it works beautifully as cupcakes or a simple layer cake.

Forage Baker's Notes

Flour matters. Gluten-free flour blends—and even wheat flours—can vary widely in weight per cup, which is why we always recommend using a kitchen scale for best results. If you don’t yet own a scale, gently scoop Heritage Baker’s Flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife. This method yields approximately 125g per cup.

• Packing the cup can result in too much flour and a denser cookie.

• Spooning flour into the cup may under-measure.

Sweeteners matter too. Sweeteners vary just as much and can significantly affect cookie texture. For best results, we recommend Homestead Sweetener or traditional sugar. While substitutions are possible, results may vary—some alternative sweeteners can make cookies overly soft or more dry and crumbly.

• Homestead Sweetener: 1:1 sugar replacement by volume, 140g per cup

• Granulated sugar: 200g per cup
  
  Working the Batter 

  • Bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in warm water for a few minutes.

  • Melted butter should be warm, not hot, when incorporated.

  • Room-temperature ingredients blend more evenly and produce a smoother crumb.

  • Metal pans brown more readily than glass; glass pans take longer to heat through.

  • Ovens vary—adjust bake times as needed.

  • Sifting Heritage Baker’s Flour can help create a lighter cake texture.

  • Both salted and unsalted butter work well in this recipe.
    
    

    Recipe

    Makes: 12 cupcakes or one 8–9 inch cake

    
    

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2½ cups Heritage Baker’s Flour (312g)

    • 1 cup Homestead Sweetener (140g)

    • 3–4 tsp ground ginger (to taste)

    • 2 tsp baking powder

    
    

    Wet Ingredients

    • 4 large eggs (200g)

    • ½ cup orange juice (120g)

    • ½ cup water (120g)

    • ¼ cup molasses

    • 4 Tbsp melted butter (56g)

    • 2 tsp vanilla extract

    • Zest of oranges (optional)

     

    Directions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line cupcake or cake pans.
    • Whisk together flour, sweetener, ginger, and baking powder.
    • In a separate bowl, combine eggs, orange juice, water, molasses, butter, vanilla, and zest (if using).
    • Whisk dry ingredients into wet until fully combined.
    • Let batter rest briefly, then whisk once more.
    • Pour into prepared pans and bake as directed.
    
    

    Bake Times

    • 8–9 inch cake: 30–34 minutes

    • Two 6-inch cakes: 26–30 minutes

    • Cupcakes: 20–24 minute

    
    At the Table

    Serve plain or with softly whipped cream, or lightly sweetened yogurt—especially fitting for cool evenings and simple celebrations.