Molasses Cake Recipe

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My flavorful Molasses Cake Recipe is a simple treat you’ll want to make again and again. It’s a real stress-buster—a cinch to make and so comforting to enjoy on a chilly day!    

• Perfect for any occasion: Enjoy for dessert, as a snack, or at breakfast or brunch. It keeps well, so it’s ideal for a bake sale or to bring to a get-together.
• Simple, low-cost ingredients: This mouthwatering cake is a bargain at about 50 cents per serving!
• Gorgeous flavor and texture: You’ll adore the lightly spiced, rich molasses flavor and moist crumb.
• Ready in an hour! The batter comes together quickly, and the cake bakes in 30 minutes.

I love having a simple cake on the counter for family and friends (and me, of course!) to enjoy. The best options are one-layer types like this old-fashioned molasses cake, which are so flavorful that they don’t need frosting or glaze. Just cut a piece and enjoy! My other snackable cake recipes include Simple Marble Pound Cake, One Bowl Applesauce Cake, and Stovetop Chocolate Cake.

I’ve always loved recipes like this Molasses Cake, which reminds me of growing up in Ireland. Cakes with molasses and ginger are popular there, especially paired with a cup of tea. After years of baking gingerbreads and molasses cakes, here’s my chef’s tip: cover the cake in foil as it cools. This simple trick locks in moisture, creating a deliciously sticky top that makes spiced cakes extra special!

Table of Contents

• What is Molasses Cake Recipe?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Molasses Cake
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Molasses and Ginger Recipes

What is Molasses Cake Recipe?

• Molasses Cake has a bolder flavor than typical gingerbread cake, which is more spice-forward and typically contains honey or brown sugar in addition to molasses. (However, Jamaican Gingerbread, like my Sticky Gingerbread, has more molasses and ginger and is intensely flavored.) Cakes made with treacle, a buttery syrup that’s a blend of molasses and refined sugar, have a mellower flavor. Spice Cake, flavored with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves, has a lighter texture and more subtle taste, as dark or light brown sugar is used instead of molasses.
• My Molasses Cake Recipe is a one-layer cake notable for its soft, moist texture. The cake is sweetened primarily by molasses, which gives the cake a distinctive robust, warm, slightly earthy flavor that’s accentuated by cinnamon and ginger.
• Cakes sweetened with molasses and treacle became popular in Ireland because these sweeteners were traditionally more affordable than refined sugar. These warming, hearty, spiced baked goods are sustaining, comforting, and perfect for a cup of tea or a nip of Irish whiskey.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan
• Parchment paper
• Whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Rubber spatula
• Aluminum foil

Key Ingredients and Why

Molasses

• Robustly sweet, with a flavor of dark caramel and a slight smokiness, using molasses as a sweetener gives this cake its signature flavor.
• Importantly, molasses makes the cake supremely moist. Because molasses is hygroscopic, which means it attracts and retains moisture, it prevents the cake from drying out.
• I recommend using unsulphured molasses (also called original molasses) here, not blackstrap or dark molasses.
• Substitution: If you’re out of molasses, you can make your own Molasses Substitute!

Hot coffee

• Coffee enhances the molasses flavor in this cake.
• Additionally, hot coffee loosens up the molasses so it combines with the other ingredients more efficiently.
• Coffee’s acidity contributes to the tenderness of the cake.
• Substitution: Use hot water here if you’re out of coffee.

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour has a protein content of 9-11%, which gives this homemade molasses cake structure and a tender crumb.
• Substitution: Use my Gluten-Free Flour Blend or  Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix for a gluten-free option.

Baking powder

• Baking powder, which contains both an acid (cream of tartar) and a base (baking soda), ensures the cake rises well.
• Learn more about baking powder and baking soda and find out how to make your own.

Ground ginger and cinnamon

• Ginger contributes a zip of bracing spice and subtle heat.
• Cinnamon delivers comforting, warm, subtle spiciness.
• For the most flavor, make sure your spices are fresh!
• Substitutions: In place of the ground ginger and cinnamon, you can also use my flavorful Homemade Mixed Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavors and keeps the cake from tasting flat.

Butter

• The fat in butter coats the flour, inhibiting gluten formation and contributing to a tender crumb.
• Substitution: You can use the same amount of solid coconut oil here. Note that it will give the cake a slight coconut flavor, and the texture may be less fluffy.

Granulated sugar

• Granulated sugar adds sweetness and tones down the molasses’s slight bitterness.
• Sugar also contributes to the moisture of the cake.

Eggs

• Eggs add moisture and rich flavor.
• Eggs emulsify the ingredients, bringing the ingredients together into a homogeneous batter.
• Eggs should be at room temperature in baking unless specified otherwise. Room-temperature eggs blend better and create a smooth batter. Here’s how to bring your eggs to room temperature quickly.

How to Make Molasses Cake

Prepare to bake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and butter and line with parchment an 8-inch (20 cm) square cake pan. Set aside.

Make the cake batter

2. In a medium jug, mix the molasses and hot coffee until combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, ground cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
5. Stir in the molasses mixture, then fold in the flour mixture just until you have a smooth batter.

Bake the cake

6. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
7. Once out of the oven, cover with foil and allow to cool completely. This trick makes the cake extra moist and a little sticky on top.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Be sure that the coffee is hot enough to help loosen the molasses.
• Make your own molasses substitute by using my recipe.
• The coffee brings out the flavor of the molasses, but you can also use hot water for this cake.
• The butter and eggs should be at room temperature for the best results.
• We serve this simple cake without any adornment, but you could add a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream, vanilla glaze, or even cream cheese frosting if you wish.
• To make your cake extra moist, cover with foil while cooling down. This adds moisture and gives your cake that classic sticky top molasses cakes have.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Make ahead tips:

• Save time on baking day by mixing the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt and storing in an airtight container for up to one week.
• This cake is best baked immediately, but you can mix the batter, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  • Let the batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before baking.
  • Note that cake made with batter made in advance may not rise as well as cake baked right away.

How to store leftovers:

• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
• For longer storage, freeze for up to two months.

FAQs

Can I make this cake gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make this cake gluten-free.
• In place of the all-purpose flour, use my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another 1:1 gluten-free baking mix.

Is it possible to make Molasses Cake without eggs?

• Yes, you can make Molasses Cake without eggs. Buttermilk, yogurt, or applesauce would work well here (use 1/4 cup per egg replaced).
• Check out my guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes & How to Use Them, for more ideas and info.

How do I make sure my homemade molasses cake has the perfect texture?

• Measure the dry ingredients carefully—too much flour will compromise the delectably moist texture of this cake. Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurement.
• Do not overmix!
• Take care not to overbake, as it can be easy to do so with a dark-colored cake like this. The cake is done when a tester comes out clean.

More Molasses and Ginger Recipes

• Gemma’s Sticky Gingerbread
• Soft and Chewy Molasses Cookies
• Ginger Crinkle Cookies
• Gingerbread Mug Cake
• Boston Brown Bread in a Can