The holidays are weird this year. Well, they are for me, at least. I won't see my family for the first time in my entire life. We don't really have holiday traditions because its a hectic time of year for my dads job and my siblings and I all live in different cities. So, sometimes we meet in different cities and sometimes we only get to see each other for a few days before Christmas and we have to go our separate ways before Christmas actually comes. This year my husband and I will be staying in Boston, watching movies, eating snacks all day and eating The BEST Vegan Gingerbread Cake. Because whats a holiday without dessert?
As you know, I love making layer cakes and cupcakes. A cake of any kind is always a great centerpiece to any holiday or celebration table. The flavor combinations are endless, and the decorating options are endless. But since its gingerbread season, this Vegan Gingerbread Cake is PERFECT for any winter celebrations.
This gingerbread cake is moist, spicy and soft. It packs a big hit of ginger and cinnamon and is rounded out with nutmeg and clove. And the blackstrap molasses really helps that gingerbread flavor come through.
Better Baking with Fresh Spices
As with all spice recipes, make sure to use fresh spices for this Vegan Gingerbread Cake! Those cloves you've had for 5 years have less than half the flavor of a fresh jar. If you have a bunch of old spices, don't throw them out! Sprinkle them into coffee or oatmeal. Or add some into a pot of water with some orange peel and simmer them to make your house smell like the holidays. My favorite spice brands are Penzey's and Simply Organic.
Choose Your Cake Format
I made this Vegan Gingerbread Cake as a 3 layer 6" cake and as gingerbread cupcakes. it can also be baked as a 2 layer 8" cake! Cupcakes are easier to decorate if you are a beginner or if you have kids that like to help.
One-Bowl Mixing Method
I almost always mix my cakes using this one-bowl method. First, I mix all the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Then I fit a sifter on top of the bowl containing the wet ingredients, making sure that the sifter doesn't dip into the wet ingredients. Then I add the dry ingredients into the sifter, and finally, sift them into the wet ingredients. Its simple and dirties one less dish!
This Vegan Gingerbread Cake (or gingerbread cupcakes!) is delicious paired with Vanilla buttercream, Maple Bourbon Buttercream or Brown Sugar Buttercream. And all are equally delicious and easy to make.
The BEST Vegan Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 2 teaspoon Ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Cloves
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Molasses
- ⅓ Cup Canola Oil
- ⅔ Cup Unsweetened Plant Milk I used So Delicious Coconut Milk
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice or White Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375* F. Prepare 3 6" cake pans, 2 8" cake pans or line a cupcake tin with 12 liners. For the cake pans, either grease and flour them or grease them and place a parchment circle in the bottom of the pan.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, oil, plant milk, molasses and vanilla with a whisk.
- Into the bowl with the wet ingredients, add the spices and salt and whisk well to combine.
- Fit a fine mesh sifter on top of the bowl containing the wet ingredients. Be sure that the bottom of the sifter doesn't touch the wet ingredients.
- Into the sifter, add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Sift into the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Divide cake batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake and using an offset spatula, spread the batter out evenly. For the cupcakes, fill each tin ⅔ of the way with batter.
- Bake in a 375* oven for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake layer comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before decorating as desired.
Let me know how you like this recipe and have a happy holiday season!
Dana G.
For some reason my cupcakes didn't rise in the middle. I used lemon juice, and perhaps I should have used vinegar. HOWEVER, the flavor of these cupcakes is HEAVENLY. I would highly recoommend trying them. You will not be disappointed.
Megan Calipari
Hmm I wonder why that happened! So happy you enjoyed them, regardless!
Dana Grubbs
I am 100% sure it was some sort of user error.