Holiday Glow Ginger Spice (Print Version)
A moist, warmly spiced gluten-free cake with ginger and festive holiday notes.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 tablespoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
→ Wet Ingredients
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
11 - ½ cup neutral oil (sunflower or canola)
12 - ⅓ cup unsulphured molasses
13 - ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
14 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Liquid
15 - ½ cup hot water
→ Optional Topping
16 - ¼ cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
17 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting
# Step-by-step Instructions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat eggs and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth and slightly thickened. Incorporate oil, molasses, applesauce, and vanilla until evenly combined.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined.
05 - Pour in hot water and stir to create a smooth, uniform batter.
06 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 32 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
08 - Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Once cooled, sprinkle with chopped crystallized ginger and lightly dust with powdered sugar if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It's naturally moist and forgiving, so even if you're nervous about gluten-free baking, this one actually works beautifully.
- The warmth of ginger and spices makes it feel fancy enough for holiday tables but humble enough for a quiet afternoon slice.
- No dairy required, but it's rich enough that nobody will miss it.
02 -
- Gluten-free batters often look wetter than regular cake batters, and that's okay—it's the hot water technique that creates the tender crumb, not a drier batter.
- Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly into the sugar and create better emulsion, so pull them out of the fridge before you start if you can.
- Your gluten-free flour blend must contain xanthan gum or the cake will crumble apart instead of holding together—always read the label.
03 -
- Don't open the oven door before minute 30—you're creating a tender cake through steady heat, and opening it early releases that heat and can cause the top to bake too quickly while the center stays underdone.
- If your crystallized ginger pieces are large, chop them fine so they distribute throughout the topping evenly instead of creating clumpy surprise bites.