gingerbread for a crowd: Beautifully spiced and with a texture that is just dense enough

One-Bowl Gingerbread Cake for a Crowd

Gingerbread is best shared with friends. A one-bowl gingerbread cake recipe that makes a good sized cake is the easiest way to have more to go around.

There’s nothing better than a dessert recipe that can feed a crowd.

Not every recipe doubles well and sometimes making two of something is more effort than you have time for. That’s where a big-batch cake comes in handy. One bowl. One pan. One less thing to prep for a gathering.

gingerbread for a crowd: Beautifully spiced and with a texture that is just dense enough

One-Bowl Gingerbread Cake for a Crowd has everything you love about a classic gingerbread.

Beautifully spiced and with a texture that is just dense enough, this is the cake you want to make for your Christmas (or any other festive) gathering. Make it ahead if you have time since it only gets better with age. Serve it warm with cinnamon whipped cream or our Quick Coffee Toffee Sauce.

This recipe can serve up to 20.

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One-Bowl Gingerbread Cake

Our One-Bowl Gingerbread Cake is beautifully spiced and with a texture that is just dense enough.

  • Author: Crosby Molasses
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1820 servings 1x
  • Category: Cakes

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups flour, spooned in
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. ginger
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
  • 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a 9” x 13” pan or line it with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl beat butter with sugar. Beat in eggs then molasses. Beat in water.
  3. Sprinkle over the flour, spices, baking soda and salt and beat until smooth.
  4. Pour into prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Serve with cinnamon whipped cream.

Keywords: gingerbread cake

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Comments

  • February 9, 2023
    reply

    Christine

    I made this once up to now it was delicious, I’m making it again today and wondered if I could put mixed dried fruit in there

  • January 15, 2023
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    Karen

    Can you use oil rather than butter in this cake? It has to be dairy-free and I’m not fond of margarine. Thanks!

    • December 26, 2023
      reply

      Sue

      Why not try using plant-based butter?

  • December 21, 2022
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    Mel

    Hi all has anyone used a Bundt pan instead? I was thinking the Bundt would have a nicer presentation for guests?

  • December 18, 2022
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    Jude

    Does the cake freeze well?

  • December 10, 2021
    reply

    Debbie

    I think I’m a bit late to the dance, but I’m wondering where or if there’s a recipe for the cinnamon whipped cream?

      • February 22, 2022
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        Faye

        Hey Debbie. I’ve made it often just using cinnamon oil and either honey (to die for even without the cinnamon) or sugar.

    • December 12, 2021
      reply

      Carol Ann Speight

      Cinnamon Whipped Cream : 2 cups heavy cream , 1/4 cup white sugar , 1&1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon , 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. 1. Pour heavy cream into chilled bowl. ( use small glass bowl ). 2. Beat on high speed. 3. Slowly add sugar , cinnamon , and vanilla . 4. Continue beating until stiff peaks form . 5. Spread on cooled cake.

    • February 19, 2022
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      Debra Richard

      Have you tried this recipe with Gluten Free flour?

    • December 16, 2022
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      Kathy

      When you’re whipping your cream, add some cinnamon sugar to your cream.

  • October 15, 2020
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    Kathy

    Love this cake. Made it twice in a month.

  • September 16, 2020
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    Mrs. Jane Learn

    Delicious, moist, and so very easy…I made this recipe on the weekend and it did not disappoint. Although I didn’t have white sugar, I used brown and just half the amount the recipe called for; I felt w 1 cup of molasses it would be sufficiently flavourful and sweet…..very happy w the outcome. I’m looking forward to trying all the other gingerbread recipes you’ve included over the years. Thanks so much for all your inspirational recipes.

  • July 6, 2020
    reply

    Karen Theresa Chartrand

    Can you substitute buttermilk for the water?

    • July 7, 2020
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Karen, I’m not sure how buttermilk would work in this recipe. In a regular recipe it would be a fine substitution but this recipe calls for boiling water and the boiling water melts the butter. The recipe may work just fine with buttermilk — but I’m not sure.

  • May 22, 2019
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    Jenny

    I love this recipe! It’s so quick to make, deliciously comforting and looks really good too.
    Highly recommended.

  • January 4, 2019
    reply

    C.A. Van Mil

    It is unfortunate, that these recipes cannot be printed and be placed in my own recipe book. Over the years, I have printed some of my favourite recipes in a small book for my youngest brother and one for my daughter. The print button always causes the recipe on this site to be covered over with every word written on your page. It becomes a jumbled muddle of logos, advertising, and whatever is written on the right side of the page. I have tried in vain to correct it. I have even used copy and paste but there are certain problems as well. I wish I knew how “to fix” the recipe page.

    • January 8, 2019
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi there, We have added to new “print recipe” functionality to the website and now I need to format the recipes. Apologies that we don’t have it ready yet. But soon…

    • October 15, 2021
      reply

      Brenda

      Take a screen shot and see if that works then you can print it?

  • December 28, 2018
    reply

    Leah

    Could I pour the batter into 2 greased loaf pans?

    • January 3, 2019
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Leah, Yes, you could bake this cake in two large loaf pans, but the baking time will likely be different to keep an eye on them.

  • November 13, 2018
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    Duck

    Can I half this recipe and bake it in an 8 x 8 pan?

    • November 15, 2018
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Duck, Yes, you could half the recipe and bake it in an 8″ x 8″ pan. Just watch the cooking time. It should bake a little faster.

  • November 1, 2018
    reply

    Susan

    Does this cake freeze well?

    • November 5, 2018
      reply

      Crosby Molasses

      Hi Susan, I haven’t ever frozen this cake, but I believe it should be fin in the freezer (double wrapped) for up to a month.

  • February 9, 2018
    reply

    Beverly Cutler

    Auto correct at work again. LOL!

  • February 9, 2018
    reply

    Beverly Cutler

    Can I add orange zest to this receipe? I have tasted orange ginger bread and loved it. I want to make this for about 25 our 30 people. Should I double it or Judy serve smaller pieces?

  • January 10, 2018
    reply

    Kirsty Grant

    I just created a Gluten Free version of this cake and it looks amazing. I followed your recipe exactly but substituted Cloud 9 All purpose Gluten Free Baling Mix cup for cup. It rose beautifully and the texture looks perfect. Still too hot to taste but I’m sure looking forward to it

    • January 11, 2018
      reply

      Lynn Purdy

      Kirsty, That is great. I am sure it tastes even better than it looks. I am sure you will enjoy the gingerbread cake.

  • January 7, 2018
    reply

    Natalie

    nope nope nope! Athe secret to a true (irish) gingerbread – like nan used to make – can only be made with tea that has been steeped on the wood stove all day just adding more bags and water not with plain old boiling water. Lol

    • January 9, 2018
      reply

      Lynn Purdy

      Thanks for sharing, Natalie. We all have our found memories of the way our Nan’s use to make our favourite foods.

  • December 7, 2017
    reply

    Kim

    Just in case anyone REALLY wanted to bake this for a crowd, I thought I’d let you know… I doubled this recipe (I have the medium sized kitchenaid-it was very full!), and baked it in a full sized disposable pan, the kind that fits in the full sized chafing trays, and it baked beautifully. Great recipe!

    • December 13, 2017
      reply

      Lynn Purdy

      Kim, Thank you for sharing this information. It is a great recipe to serve to a crowd. Happy Holidays.

  • October 3, 2017
    reply

    Sarah

    You mentioned this cake gets better with age…how long will it last?

    • October 5, 2017
      reply

      Lynn Purdy

      Sarah, If no one eats all of the cake, wrapped or in a container on your counter, the cake would last for 5-6 days. Thanks for the question.

  • May 10, 2017
    reply

    Linda Nimigon

    I would love to try this recipe, but I am wheat free. Would this work with GF Flour without any adjustments except the xanathan gum?

    • August 11, 2017
      reply

      Hi Linda, I haven’t tried this recipe with GF flour but it should work just fine with a GF blend and xanthan gum. Please let me know if you end up making a GF version.

  • February 1, 2017
    reply

    Audrey

    This is my new favourite cake! I made it around Christmas, and it was so good I’ve made it again since. Nice texture cake with a really great flavour. I will be making this often, thanks for the recipe!

  • December 14, 2016
    reply

    Gloria Porter

    I am going to try this next week, but I am substituting b water with hot strong coffee.

    • September 20, 2017
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      Alanna

      How did it work with the coffee?

  • December 14, 2016
    reply

    Since my grandson cannot have sugar – the only sweeteners he is allowed are molasses and stevia – can this be adapted to omit the sugar. I know that changes the texture so I want to make the right substitution.

    • December 23, 2016
      reply

      Hi Yvonne, I’m not sure how to adapt this recipe to suit your grandson. I often reduce the sugar in recipes but have never removed it entirely. You might try Googling “refined sugar free cakes”. That will bring up recipes that use honey, maple syrup and molasses. You can use molasses in place of honey and maple syrup in recipes. Good luck.

    • July 22, 2021
      reply

      Jo-Ann Bailie

      I use applesauce with no sugar 1. cup.

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