Traditional Gingerbread Recipe

This traditional gingerbread recipe has been around for generations. Did you know that gingerbread isn’t really a bread at all thats the way ginger use to be preserved hundred of years ago. Today gingerbread is a flavour that used to describe a wide variety of goodies from a moist cake like this one to gingerbread cookies.

My Gingerbread Recipe from Memere

An old family friend we called Memere made huge batches of this gingerbread. She always had a tin full of this gingerbread sitting next to her coffee pot all year. Memere never used a recipe, but she wrote this one out for me, I now save it for Christmas. I love the gingerbread plain just as it is, but you can serve it with whipped cream and caramel sauce as well.

This gingerbread is super moist with a strong molasses flavour, it isn’t too sweet and of course it has the signature gingerbread spices. The text is moist and soft on the inside with a very thin crust on the outside.

This gingerbread recipe does not contain milk, instead it uses boiling water to thin both the thick molasses and the batter. When mixing the batter you will find the batter is thinner than a typical cake batter.

How to Make Traditional Gingerbread

Gingerbread Recipe Ingredients

Grease and flour a 9 by 13 inch pan, set aside. Preheat oven to 350F.

Place a small pot of water on to boil.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the vanilla.

Mix the molasses with the 1/4 cup boiling water then dissolve the soda into the mixture. The soda will fizz from the reaction with the boiling water. (The molasses mixture at this point looks like a very dark hot chocolate.)

Stir then add the molasses/water to the butter mixture.

Place the flour, baking powder, salt and spice in a medium size bowl. Mix to distribute the baking powder and spices. Add to the butter and molasses mixture.

The cake batter will be very thick and shiny, aat this stage it reminds me of brownie batter.

Add 1 cup boiling water. Mix well and pour into cake pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Serving Gingerbread

Gingerbread cake is very versatile, its a classic Christmas recipe but can be enjoyed all winter. You can serve it plain just as it is. Or add whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

For the Christmas holidays you may want to add a caramel sauce like you would for carrot putting. If you want to serve it this way, I have included a caramel sauce for you.

Gingerbread Recipe Optional Caramel Sauce

Caramel Sauce Ingredients

Caramel Sauce Instructions

In a small pot add the brown sugar, flour and salt. Mix and add the water.

Cook over medium heat until thick about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the butter and vanilla. Stir and serve with the gingerbread.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

A moist and delicious old fashioned gingerbread cake recipe. This gingerbread cake can be served plain, with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:35 minutes mins

Total Time:55 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3/4-1 cup molasses
• ¼ cup boiling water
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• 1 cup boiling water

Caramel Sauce

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Grease and flour a 9 by 13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
• In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the vanilla.
• Mix the molasses with the 1/4 cup boiling water then dissolve the soda into the mixture. Stir then add to the butter mixture.
  
• Place the flour, baking powder, salt and spice in a medium size bowl. Mix to distribute the baking powder and spices. Add to the butter and molasses mixture.
  
• Add 1 cup boiling water, mix until blended. Pour into cake pan.

Caramel Sauce

• In a small pot add the brown sugar, flour and salt. Mix and add the water.
• Cook over medium heat until thick about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add the butter and vanilla. Stir and serve with the gingerbread cake.
  

Servings: 12 pieces

Pin this recipe, its worth it.

Other Classic Christmas Recipes to Try

Shortbread 4 Ways

Make this classic shortbread cookie recipe and serve plain or try one of four yummy variations this holiday season.

Gingerbread Waffles

Gingerbread waffles served with easy to make cranberry syrup is a fabulous breakfast for the Christmas season. As a bonus its easy on the budget as well.