Description
This isn’t your grandma’s gingerbread—and yet, it kind of is. Gingerbread pudding cake is a magical, old-school dessert where the cake makes its own sauce as it bakes. You mix up a simple gingerbread batter, pour boiling water (yes, boiling water!) over it, and throw it in the oven. What comes out is a warm, deeply spiced cake floating on top of a gooey, rich caramel-like pudding. It’s soft, steamy, and loaded with molasses and warm spices. A true cold-weather hug in dessert form. Serve it warm and watch everyone swoon.
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup brown sugar
⅓ cup molasses (unsulphured)
1 large egg
½ cup milk (whole or 2%)
For the pudding layer:
¾ cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional, for extra richness)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish or similar-sized casserole.
Make the cake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. In another bowl, mix the melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
Spread the batter into your greased baking dish. It’ll be thick—just smooth it out as best you can.
Make the pudding topping: In a separate bowl, stir the brown sugar into the boiling water until dissolved. Add the optional butter here if you’re feeling indulgent. Gently pour this hot mixture over the batter in the baking dish. Don’t stir it. Trust the process—it will bake into a pudding base under the cake.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top of the cake is firm and springy. A tester inserted into the cake portion should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving so the pudding thickens slightly. Scoop it up warm, making sure each portion gets a bit of cake and sauce.
Notes
Add chopped crystallized ginger or raisins to the batter for a little texture.
Swap molasses for maple syrup for a slightly lighter, woodsy flavor.
Use buttermilk instead of regular milk for a bit of tang.
Want extra spice? Add a pinch of black pepper or cardamom for a kick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~380 kcal per serving
- Fat: 12g
- Carbohydrates: ~65g
- Protein: ~4g