Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake

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If you could sum up the perfect cake for the cooler months then this Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake would be top of the list. It is dark, treacly, rich with spices and is lively with three kinds of ginger. Wrap up in a blanket, draw the blinds and enjoy another slice of this gorgeously seductive cake. We use a beautiful blend of gluten-free flours to make this cake so no xanthan gum is needed.

this recipe

Jump to:

• Watch to see how to make it
• Why you’ll love this recipe
• What’s the difference between Parkin and Gingerbread?
• Ingredients needed
• How to make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake
• Tips for best results
• Shop the recipe
• How to make dairy-free
• How to store
• How to freeze
• Sticky Gingerbread Cake with Whisky and Lime Drizzle
• More gluten-free ginger recipes you’ll love
• Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake

This Gluten-Free Ginger Cake with Stem Ginger is a gloriously sticky cake that you won’t be able to resist. I’ve been making some version of it for years as I just can’t get enough of it. I started making it back in my cake stall days with a cheeky drop of whisky and a lovely lime drizzle. However, more recently I have been enjoying the simplicity of this cake with more of a gentle family friendly vibe which is the cake I now share with you.

It’s perfect for the later part of the year, when we are wrapped up warm in our woolies for Guy Fawkes watching the fireworks, our sticky squares of gingerbread tucked into our pockets .

Watch to see how to make it

The beauty of this cake is with its charming texture which is incredibly light but with a deliciously moist crumb and slight chew. With diced Homemade Stem Ginger, fresh ginger and punchy ground ginger all baked into this spice filled sponge there is so much to enjoy in this delightful and cosy fireside bake. I challenge you to draw the line at a single square of this cake, it just can’t be done.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Deep rich flavour which sparkles with fiery ginger and warm spices.
• Gorgeously addictive texture which has incredibly moist crumbs (but not wet) and with a slight chew.
• Lovely blend of aromatic gluten-free wholegrain flours – buckwheat and oat with a little sweet rice flour to hold it all together.
• No xanthan gum. We don’t need it thanks to using the right blend of gluten-free flours. READ MORE >>> Why I don’t bake with xanthan gum.

✨If you love gingerbread recipes then I urge you to try this Gingerbread Ice Cream which is a dreamy creamy revelation!!✨

What’s the difference between Parkin and Gingerbread?

Both ginger parkin and gingerbread are tray bakes which include ginger as their predominant flavour. Parkin is traditionally made with rolled oats giving the traybake a beautifully chewy texture.

Gingerbread usually includes black treacle or blackstrap molasses which means the bake is much darker in colour. It doesn’t usually contain oats but I have actually used oat flour in this recipe for ⅓ of the flour blend. However, this Gingerbread Cake has a vastly different texture than Parkin, much lighter and softer.

Ingredients needed

Gluten-free flours

Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour, mochiko). This starchy flour has a light neutral taste and it gives the cake bounce and binding power. Not to be confused with regular rice flour. READ MORE >>> The Ultimate Guide to Sweet Rice Flour. Sweet rice flour can be substituted with almond flour.

Oat flour. This buttery and fluffy flour gives a wonderfully tender crumb and lightness to the Gingerbread Cake. Make sure you choose a certified gluten-free oat flour as cross-contamination can occur. If you can't digest oats then swap with sorghum flour. READ MORE >>> The Ultimate Guide to Oat Flour.

Buckwheat flour. An earthy tasting flour but it balances out the oat flour and gives a fluffier lighter texture than just using oat. READ MORE >>> The Ultimate Guide to Buckwheat Flour.

Other ingredients

Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.

Dark muscovado sugar. This is a type of unrefined cane sugar with a high molasses content, giving it a rich, moist texture and a deep, robust flavour. You can swap for a dark brown sugar - it won't have as rich a flavour but it will work fine.

Black treacle is a dark, bitter syrup derived from sugar refining, it’s used often in traditional British baking thanks to its rich and unique flavour. It can be substituted with molasses or dark corn syrup.

Golden syrup. This is a thick amber coloured inverted sugar syrup. You can substitute for light corn syrup, although it won’t have quite the same flavour.

Milk. Use whole dairy milk or a plant based milk if you are making dairy-free.

Stem ginger. Stem ginger is ginger root that has been peeled, cooked, and preserved in a sugar syrup, this sweet and spicy ingredient is delicious in baking and cooking. Have you made Homemade Stem Ginger in Syrup yet?

Fresh ginger. Another layer of ginger, this time we use fresh to add a fiery heat

Ground ginger. Using ground ginger gives real depth. It's lovely using the three layers of ginger in this recipe for rich flavour.

Other spices. This recipe also uses ground cinnamon and cloves for warming flavour.

Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.

Baking powder. A leaving agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.

Bicarbonate of soda. Also known as baking soda, this is a white crystalline powder that is commonly used as a leavening agent in baking.

Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.

Icing sugar (powdered sugar). Used to dust the finished cake.

How to make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

1. Heat the sugar, treacle, syrup and milk in a pan until the sugar has dissolved and allow to cool a little.
2. Sift together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add the butter and rub in to create ‘breadcrumbs.’
4. Mince the stem ginger and fresh ginger and whisk them into the dry ingredients.
5. Pour in the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
6. Finally beat in the eggs.
7. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.
8. Dust icing sugar over the top of the cake once cooled.

Tips for best results

• Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature before you begin, including the eggs.
• Chop the stem ginger and the fresh ginger as finely as you can using a sharp knife. This allows the ginger to disperse evenly throughout the cake without sinking.
• Allow the wet ingredients to cool a little before adding the eggs at the end so that the eggs don’t scramble in the cake batter.

Shop the recipe

• 8 inch square baking tin
• Sweet rice flour (glutinous)
• Buckwheat flour
• Oat flour
• Baking parchment
• Cooking rack

How to make dairy-free

This Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake is easy to make dairy-free. You just need to swap the whole milk for a plant based alternative like almond milk.

How to store

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake stores well at room temperature in an airtight container. However, I recommend storing on top of a sheet of a kitchen paper towel as this will absorb any excess moisture and prolong its shelf life. The cake will keep up to 3 days.

How to freeze

You can freeze the Sticky Ginger Cake as soon as it has cooled. Double wrap in plastic wrap and aluminium foil to protect it well in the freezer.

Thaw at room temperature overnight before unwrapping. Allow to breathe for half an hour before serving.

Sticky Gingerbread Cake with Whisky and Lime Drizzle

For a real winter warmer try this aforementioned cake which was the one I used to sell in my cake stall back in the day.

• Swap out 2 tablespoons of the whole milk in the original recipe below for the same amount of whisky.
• For the lime drizzle whisk together 150g icing sugar with the zest of 2 limes. Whisk in the juice of the limes a drop at a time until you reach the thick but pourable consistency you need. Then drizzle over the top of your cooled cake.

More gluten-free ginger recipes you’ll love

• Gingerbread Ice Cream
• Homemade Stem Ginger in Syrup
• White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake
• Gluten-Free Parkin
• Gluten-Free Ginger Biscuits
• Apple Ginger Chutney
• Lemon and Ginger Cake
• Green Tomato Cake with Stem Ginger

✨Have you tried this Gluten-Free Sticky Gingerbread Cake? If you liked it, please leave a 5-star ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your recipe turned out and your feedback also helps other readers✨