Gingerbread Sheet Cake

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Hi Bold Bakers!

I’m a sucker for spiced cakes, having grown up in Ireland, and this Gingerbread Sheet Cake is one we make every year for the holidays. From my professional experience, my advice is to bake the sheet cake the day before you plan to serve it. As it sits overnight, the cake relaxes, becoming even more moist and tender. During this time, the flavors meld beautifully, making it taste even better than straight from the oven.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My easy Gingerbread Sheet Cake with velvety cream cheese frosting is a simple, show-stopping Christmas dessert that everyone will love.

• Family favorite: We make this cake every year, and everyone always asks for the recipe—it’s truly a tried-and-true holiday classic.
• Moist & spiced to perfection: Tender gingerbread with the ideal balance of warming spices.
• Festive & ready for a crowd: Generous sheet cake size makes serving easy.
• Beginner-friendly: Simple to mix, bake, and frost—an easy, foolproof dessert anyone can master for the holidays.

Sheet cakes are a baker’s best friend for holiday seasons. Not only are they a snap to make, but they’re also easy to cut and serve. Plus, you have a big canvas to decorate if you want to add holiday sprinkles or gold fondant stars. You’ll also love Red Velvet Sheet Cake, fudgy Ultimate Texas Sheet Cake, and a festive Funfetti Sheet Cake.

Bold Bakers Loved This!

“This cake turned out wonderfully moist and perfectly spiced. It was a hit at our family Christmas gathering!” — Emma J.
“I followed the tips and baked it a day ahead—such a difference! The flavors really came together beautifully.” — Liam
“The texture was soft and tender, and the spice blend was just right. Definitely adding this to my holiday rotation.” — Sophie K.

Table of Contents

• What is Gingerbread Cake?
• Tools You’ll Need
• Key Ingredients
• How to Make Gingerbread Sheet Cake 
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Holiday Cake Recipes

What is Gingerbread Cake?

Gingerbread cake combines ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses for a warm, spiced flavor and moist, tender texture. Its rich aroma fills the kitchen with holiday cheer, and it’s delicious served plain, with cream cheese frosting, or a light dusting of sugar.

With roots in medieval Europe, gingerbread evolved from honey-sweetened loaves into a festive staple. Today, it remains a symbol of comfort, nostalgia, and celebration during the holiday season.

Tools You’ll Need

• 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) cake pan and parchment paper
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Offset spatula

Key Ingredients

• All-purpose flour

  • All-purpose flour has 9-11% protein content, which is the perfect amount for giving the cake structure while still having a pleasing light and tender texture.
  • Substitutes: you can use gluten-free flours or my Easy Almond Flour Mix as a gluten-free option.

• Heirloom Wheat Flour

  • Heirloom wheat flour has a protein content of 10.5%, much lower than modern wheat does, which makes it easier to digest.
  • Its full, wheaty flavor and fine texture make it not only a great choice here for cookies, but also for sourdough breads, pizza doughs, brownies, and breakfast bakes.

• Dark brown sugar

  • Dark brown sugar sweetens the gingerbread.
  • With a 10% molasses content compared to light brown sugar’s 3.5% content, dark brown sugar has a bolder taste than light brown sugar.
  • Dark brown sugar adds to the moistness of the gingerbread.

• Granulated sugar

  • White sugar helps provide structure and also a more delicate, fine texture than a cake made with only dark brown sugar.

• Baking soda

  • Baking soda is a leavening agent that reacts with acid to create air bubbles to make your baked goods rise and make them fluffy.
  • In this recipe, baking soda reacts with the acid from molasses and eggs.
  • My guide, How to Make Baking Powder and Baking Soda Explained, gives more information, including how to make it home.

• Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Allspice

  • Each of these four holiday-centric spices has a specific taste and smell that harmonize into a blend that makes this sheet cake the epitome of Christmas.
  • Ginger brings zingy, citrusy heat. Cinnamon provides earthiness and coziness, nutmeg gives earthy sweetness, and allspice adds inviting molasses notes.
  • For the most impactful flavor, make sure your spices are fresh!

• Eggs

  • Eggs enrich flavors and provide an emulsifier from the egg yolks to homogeneously bind all the ingredients together.
  • Eggs must always be at room temperature in baking unless specified otherwise. Room-temperature eggs will set this recipe on the right track with a smooth and cohesive cake batter.
  • Learn foolproof ways to get your eggs to room temperature quickly.

• Milk

  • Whole milk moistens the cake, giving it a tender crumb.

• Molasses

  • The robust, earthy sweetness of molasses gives gingerbread its signature flavor.
  • Molasses gives the cake its moisture and keeps it from drying out. That’s because molasses is hygroscopic, which means it attracts and retains moisture.

• Vegetable oil

  • Vegetable oil contributes moisture to the cake, giving it a delectable texture.
  • Vegetable oil has more moisture than butter. That makes cakes made with vegetable oil moister and softer than those made with butter.
  • The neutral taste of vegetable oil lets the spice and molasses flavors shine.

• One recipe Velvety Cream Cheese Frosting

How to Make Gingerbread Sheet Cake

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) cake pan and set aside.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt and spices.

3. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, molasses and vegetable oil.

4. Combine wet and dry: Stir the wet into the dry mix until just combined, taking care not to overmix.

5. Bake the cake: Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

6. Cool the ginger cake: Let cool completely in the pan before spreading generously with the Cream Cheese Frosting.

6. Serve and enjoy: Slice and enjoy with a cup of tea! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Use room-temperature ingredients: Make sure eggs, milk, and other wet ingredients are at room temperature. This helps the batter mix evenly and results in a tender, cohesive cake.
• Measure brown sugar correctly: Pack brown sugar firmly into your measuring cup to ensure the right sweetness and moisture balance.
• Boost the ginger flavor: For an extra gingery kick, fold in ½ cup (2½ oz / 71 g) of chopped, candied ginger into the batter.
• Experiment with frostings: While cream cheese frosting is classic, this cake also pairs beautifully with a rich chocolate ganache for a decadent twist.
• Add a subtle spice lift: For a warming, unexpected spice note, stir in ¼–½ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper into the dry ingredients.
• Don’t overmix the batter: Stir until just combined to avoid a tough cake. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cake dense.
• Let the cake rest: Bake the cake a day in advance if possible. As it sits, the crumb softens and the flavors meld, making it even more moist and flavorful.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Bake ahead: You can bake the sheet cake a day in advance without frosting. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 days.
• Freeze for longer storage: To freeze, cool the cake completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and then cover with aluminum foil to protect from freezer burn. Freeze for up to 8 weeks. Defrost at room temperature before frosting.
• Frosting storage: Keep frosting for ginger cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Re-whip if needed to restore its fluffy texture before spreading.
• Leftover cake: Once frosted, store slices in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

FAQs

• How can I make sure my gingerbread cake isn’t tough?

  • Don’t overmix or overbake—both can make the cake tough.
  • Use room-temperature ingredients for a smooth, airy batter and perfectly tender crumb.

• Can I make this cake without eggs?

  • Yes, you can make this cake without eggs. See our guide to the Best Egg Substitutes  for great suggestions.

• How can I make this gingerbread cake vegan?

  • In place of the eggs, use one of the options in our 12 Best Eggs Substitutes in Baking and How to Use Them.
  • In place of dairy milk, you can use plant-based milk from our list of The Best Dairy-Free Options for Baking.

More Holiday Dessert Recipes

• Red Velvet Roulade Cake
• Classic Steamed Treacle Pudding
• Rich Chocolate and Hazelnut Torrone
• Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake
• Homemade Steamed Gingerbread Pudding
• Citrus Olive Oil Cake
• Decadent Steamed Chocolate Pudding

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