This delicious vegan gingerbread cake is moist, fluffy, spongy, soft, and flavorful. The recipe is 100% plant-based, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and even oil-free!
I hope you are as excited about the holiday season as me. This gingerbread cake recipe is my little Christmas gift for you because I know it will sweeten up your holidays! 🙂
What do I love most about it? Besides the texture (which is absolutely AMAZING for an oil-free cake), I love the classic gingerbread flavors which are ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and molasses. I made my own gingerbread spice mixture and you will find the recipe further below!
Healthy Gingerbread Cake
As you know, I love creating recipes that are not only vegan (dairy-free, egg-free), but also allergy-friendly. Therefore, almost all of my recipes are also gluten-free and refined sugar-free.
Many of my recipes are also oil-free and made with whole food plant-based ingredients. It’s often a challenge to create a great recipe with so many restrictions and it requires lots of recipe testing, but it’s so worth it!
The applesauce and molasses add a lot of moisture without making the spice cake too dense or heavy. The oat flour and rice flour have the perfect ratio for a wonderful crumb and texture.
I couldn’t be happier with the outcome of this gingerbread cake, considering the fact that it’s oil-free, vegan, and gluten-free.
How To Make Vegan Gingerbread Cake?
Check the 4 step-by-step process shots below. Making the cake (without the frosting) is super simple and doesn’t require a food processor or blender.
All measurements and written instruction steps are in the recipe card below!
- You will need to add all dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix with a whisk.
- Now you add all wet ingredients and mix again with a whisk.
- Check the third picture to see how the batter should look like.
- Pour the batter into a lined 6×9 inch (ca. 15×23 cm) or 8×8 inch (ca. 20×20 cm) pan and spread it evenly. Then bake in the oven until it’s done.
The frosting is recommended but not required. However, if you want to make it, then check out the 4 process shots below.
- Make the pudding in a saucepan. It’s super easy and quick.
- Add the soaked cashews and the pudding to a food processor or blender and blend on high for a few minutes. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, it will take longer.
- In the third photo, you can see how smooth the cream turned out.
- Pour the cream onto the cooled gingerbread cake and spread it evenly. Then put the pan in the refrigerator or freezer to set.
Can I use a different pan?
Yes, you can use a bundt cake pan or a loaf pan. Depending on the depth and size, the oven bake time will vary. I recommend making a toothpick test after 35 minutes. If the toothpick (inserted into the middle of the cake) comes out clean (it can be crumbly but not wet), the spice cake is done.
Useful Tips
- If you don’t have a food processor or blender, I would recommend dusting the gingerbread cake with some icing sugar (I always use powdered Erythritol) instead of making the frosting.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The spice cake will dry out a little in the refrigerator, however, you can warm it up for a couple of minutes in the oven at 350 °F / ca. 177 °C (or in the microwave) which will make it soft again.
- You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw completely before serving.
- Serve with chai, a vegan hot chocolate or a latte
This Vegan Gingerbread Cake Is:
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Refined sugar-free
- Oil-Free
- Perfectly spiced
- Great for the holidays
- Moist
- Fluffy
- Soft
Should you give this vegan gingerbread cake a try, please leave a comment and rating below and don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram or Facebook post with @elavegan and #elavegan because I would love to see your remakes! 🙂
If you are interested in more holiday desserts, you should also check out the following delicious gluten-free & vegan recipes:
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- The Best Pumpkin Pie
- Easy Apple Strudel
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
- Apple Crumble Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Carrot Cake Donuts With Gingerbread
- Cranberry Loaf Cake
- Apple Cinnamon Crepes
- Apple Pie With Streusel
- Tiramisu With Gingerbread
- Easy Pumpkin Loaf Cake
- Fruit Cake With Chocolat
Vegan Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
Dry Cake Ingredients:
- 1 cup (160 g) rice flour (I used white)
- 1 cup (90 g) oat flour gluten-free if needed (see notes)
- 4 tsp gingerbread spice (see notes)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 tsp salt
Wet Cake Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (180 g) applesauce
- 1/2 cup (120 g) canned coconut milk (see notes)
- 1/3 cup (110 g) maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
- 1/4 cup (80 g) dark molasses (see notes)
Frosting (optional):
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) almond milk or any other plant-based milk
- 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch (see notes)
- 5 1/2 tbsp (60 g) granulated sweetener (see notes)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp (125 g) cashews (soaked)
Instructions
- I recommend measuring the ingredients in grams on a kitchen scale. Check out the easy-to-follow step-by-step process shots above in the blog post.
Cake
- Soak cashews in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until super soft, then drain the water.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (ca. 177 degrees Celsius) and line a 6×9 inch (ca.15×23 cm) pan with parchment paper (with an overhang on all sides for easy removal).
- Add all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix with a whisk.
- Now add all wet ingredients and mix again with a whisk until just combined. Don't over mix.
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (it can be crumbly but shouldn't come out wet). Always insert the toothpick into the middle of the cake. The baking time can be a few minutes less or more depending on your oven and the size of the pan.
- Let the cake cool completely. You can skip the frosting and simply dust the cake with icing sugar (or powdered Erythritol).
Frosting (optional)
- To make the pudding, simply add all frosting ingredients (except the cashews) into a saucepan. Whisk vigorously until there are no clumps. Once the mixture is completely smooth, turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes (the pudding will get thick), then turn off the heat.
- Add the pudding and the softened cashews to a blender or food processor and mix on high until the cream is completely smooth. If you don't have a high-speed blender, it will take longer. I use THIS food processor which got the job done. It took about 3-4 minutes.
- Pour the cream onto the cooled cake and spread it evenly. Then put the pan into the freezer for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to set or in the refrigerator overnight. I prefer the freezer method because I can then eat the cake sooner. 😀
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Enjoy!
Notes
Video Of The Recipe:
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- Oat flour: If you don't have oat flour, simply process oats (regular or certified gluten-free oats) in a blender or electric spice/coffee grinder until you have oat flour.
- Canned coconut milk: If you don't want to use canned coconut milk, you can use any other plant-based milk instead with the addition of 2 tablespoons of oil!
- Molasses: Use dark molasses, not blackstrap molasses. If you aren't a fan of molasses (some people don't like the strong taste) you can use less (e.g. just 2-3 tablespoons) and add 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup in addition.
- Cornstarch: You can use arrowroot flour instead.
- Sweetener: Any granulated sweetener can be used. Some examples are Xylitol*, Erythritol (that's what I used), coconut sugar, regular sugar or date sugar. *Desserts with Xylitol should be never given to dogs.
- Recipe serves 8. Nutrition facts are for one piece of cake without the frosting.
- With the frosting, a piece has the following nutrition facts (sweetened with Erythritol):
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Equipment
If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
Hi. Love your recipes:) May I ask why we should use regular molasses and not black strap? I only have black strap at home. Is it because it’s stronger in flavor? If so, I could use less? Perhaps 1tbs black strap and 3tbs maple syrup? Thanks!
Hi Tina, yes, it’s because of the taste. You can use a little less, your suggestion is good! 🙂
Hello Ella 🙂
I would like to make this for Xmas, do you reckon I could bake it in a muffin tin ?
Yes, that should totally work. Just reduce the baking time (I would say 20-25 minutes). 🙂
Have someone made the cake with just whipped coconut cream instead of the frosting? – would that be tasty for the cake? ???? happy new year!
I haven’t yet. I think it would taste great as well. 🙂
All the best for 2022. 🙂
I will try???? – all the best! ⭐️
Enjoy it! 🙂
I made this exactly as you wrote it. Excellent results!
That’s awesome, Erich! So glad you liked it. 🙂
Bonjour,
Ce gâteau à l’air délicieux j’aimerai le faire.
Cependant, je n’ai ni mélasse ni sirop d’érable. Est ce que je peux mettre à la place du miel et sucre de canne?
Merci.
Jessica
Hi Jessica, I will answer in English because I do not speak French. Yes, I think that should be possible. 🙂
thnx v much,,,altho i don’t know one end of oven from other [ this old oven markings gone and i do not know which part heats up ] your recipes add greatly to the quality of life – since i was forced to become gluten free after moving to bulgarian mountain village [no shop 50 miles ] and 1 ring stove electric to cook rice and now back in civilisation i want bread / cakes back…[i did the topping]
I have a vegan in my family who is extremely allergic to cashews. Do you have a suggestion for an alternative when frostings etc call for a cashew base?
Hi Stephanie, that is really difficult as most nuts aren’t as soft (or turn into a cream) as cashews. However, you could try pine nuts, macadamia nuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds, these are the best options in my opinion. 🙂
Thank you. I appreciate your response.
You are welcome! 🙂
I made two versions of this and used monkfruit sweetener in the frosting ( you only use half the amount when doing this). I also substituted arrowroot powder for the corn starch because cornstarch and any non organic corn product is genetically modified in the worst way, For the cake, I used the rice flour in the cake and thought that was too dry. Never having used rice flour before, I did jot realize it has the consistency of corn meal-very granular and dry. The alternative version I made consisted of sorghum flour and a little xanthun powder. I think this softened up the cake more so than the original version. The found the recipe to be a solid foundation for this GF version of cake!
Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
This is an amazing cake!!! I’m really enjoying following your vegan baking recipes even though I’m not vegan myself!! I just made this cake and even though it’s not as sweet as a normal gingerbread cake of course, the nice mixture of spices make up for it! I had to grind the cloves up myself so I think I maybe added a little too much and it’s a little overpowering so I will have to keep that in mind for next time ???? I also added some fresh apple pieces because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out and it gave it a nice touch but it definitely would’ve turned out just as good without! I also used a different frosting recipe because I’m not a fan of the cashew frosting but overall I’d definitely make this again!!
Thanks for your feedback, Allie. 🙂