Easy Sticky Vegan Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Indulge in the warm, comforting flavours of gingerbread with our easy and sticky vegan gingerbread cake recipe. This delectable cake is simple to make and will satisfy all your cravings. Get ready to impress your taste buds and wow your friends with this irresistible treat. Dive into our recipe post and discover how to create the perfect vegan gingerbread cake today!

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Ingredients
Instructions
Top Tips
All about this vegan sticky ginger cake
📖 Recipe
Substitutes and Variations
Using flaxseed as an egg replacer
What are some vegan frosting option for gingerbread cake?
FAQ's
Shop this post...
💬 Comments

A Christmas staple in our house, this vegan sticky ginger cake is full of flavour and sticky goodness. It definitely falls on the side of an indulgent treat, but why not treat yourself once in a while, especially during the holiday season!

This vegan sticky ginger cake is delicious with a cup of tea or coffee as an afternoon treat, or serve it warm with custard for a warming festive desert. It also makes an excellent gift at Christmas time. Cut a few squares, dust with icing sugar and place in a festive cake tin and your recipient will love you forever more!

I love vegan baking, and with a cake this good your friends and family will love it too!

Ingredients

dairy free butter
golden syrup
treacle (blackstrap molasses)
dark muscavado sugar
ground cloves
ground cinnamon
ground ginger
grated fresh ginger
ground flaxseed
water
oat milk
bicarbonate soda (dissolved in 30ml of water)
plain flour (all purpose flour)
icing sugar - to dust (optional)

For exact quantities see the recipe card below.

For this recipe you will need plant based butter (I usually use vitalite), dark brown muscavado sugar, golden syrup and black treacle. I did say that it wasn't the healthiest recipe right?! But they all contribute to making this a gorgeous, tasty, sticky treat!

Add to that, flour, dried ginger, fresh ginger, ground cinnamon and ground cloves as well as flax eggs (see below) and non dairy milk and you have nearly all that you need. In fact, most of these things I can find usually in my cupboard so this recipe can usually be rustled up without much fuss.

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 170 degrees celcius (150 degrees fan oven)
Line a 9 inch square baking tray with baking paper
Make a flax egg by mixing the ground flaxseed with the 5 tablespoons of water and leave to form a gel for 5 minutes.
In a heavy bottomed saucepan add the butter, sugar, golden syrup, and treacle and heat on a low heat until melted.
Stir through the spices - ground cinnamon, ground ginger, grated ginger and ground cloves.
Take it off the heat and add in the bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in it's water, milk and flax egg
Sift in the flour
Pour into the prepared baking tin. It will be quite liquidy so don't worry about that.
Cook for 45-60 minutes until risen nicely and springy to touch and a skewer comes out clean. Don't overcook as this will make the cake dry rather than sticky.
Leave to cool in the tin before removing and slicing into pieces.

Top Tips

Make sure that you sieve the flour or else the batter will be lumpy
Don't skip mixing the bicarbonate of soda in the water - this is what gives the cake it's rise
Line your baking tin so that the cake comes out easily
Don't over bake if you want the cake to be sticky
Cut this cake into quite small squares as it is very rich and filling
You can use a tube of ginger puree instead of fresh ginger

All about this vegan sticky ginger cake

Flavour: If you are a ginger fan, this cake is for you! The fresh ginger really gives this cake a kick and the deep ginger flavour is perfect for Christmas time.
Texture: This is a thick, sticky cake which is carries some weight. It isn't dense though, the baking soda causes a lovely rise which makes it soft and springy. Be careful not to overbake though, or it will be too dry, and the beauty is in the stickiness.
Ease: This recipe is actually very easy to pull together and only requires one pan so washing up is a breeze. Just make sure you don't cut corners and sieve the flour, otherwise it will turn lumpy.

📖 Recipe

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I used to make this sticky ginger cake every year, except when I was pregnant as the ginger would give me heartburn! I was missing it after a couple of years being vegan so I decided to veganise the recipe that I had and I'm so pleased it turned out just the same as I remember!

Substitutes and Variations

There are numerous variations of vegan gingerbread cake recipes that you can explore to suit your taste preferences. Here are a few ideas:

Gluten-Free Vegan Gingerbread Cake: Use a combination of gluten-free flours like rice flour, almond flour, or a gluten-free baking blend instead of regular all-purpose flour to make the cake gluten-free. Ensure that all other ingredients used are also gluten-free.
Chocolate Gingerbread Cake: Add cocoa powder or melted vegan chocolate to the batter to infuse a rich chocolate flavor into the gingerbread cake. This combination creates a delightful blend of spicy and chocolaty goodness.
Citrus-infused Gingerbread Cake: Add the zest of oranges, lemons, or limes to the batter to give the gingerbread cake a bright and refreshing citrus twist. The citrus flavors complement the warm spices beautifully.
Nutty Gingerbread Cake: Incorporate chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds into the batter for added texture and flavor. Sprinkle some on top of the cake as well for a decorative touch.
Chai-Spiced Gingerbread Cake: Enhance the spices in the gingerbread cake by incorporating chai spice blend or individual spices like cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. This variation adds a unique and aromatic twist to the classic recipe.
Pumpkin Gingerbread Cake: Combine the flavors of pumpkin and gingerbread by adding canned pumpkin puree to the batter. This variation creates a moist and flavorful cake with a hint of autumnal goodness.
Different shapes: You can also use a bundt pan instead of a square pan - a bundt cake just looks beautiful at Christmas time. Just remember to spray olive oil around the inside so that the cake doesn't stick. If you are looking for something more simple a loaf tin will make a lovely vegan ginger loaf cake which is perfect for gifting. A sheet cake using a rectangular cake tin is best for when you are serving this cake at parties - which is often at this time of year.

Feel free to experiment with these variations or combine different ideas to create your own unique twist on vegan gingerbread cake. Remember to adjust the quantities and baking times accordingly if the variations affect the consistency or moisture of the cake batter.

Using flaxseed as an egg replacer

My favourite egg replacement is a flax egg. You can replace one egg with one tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 2.5 tablespoons of water. Mix and leave for a few minutes to form a gel.

There are other egg replacers that could be used but I haven't tested them in this recipe so I couldn't recommend any.

What are some vegan frosting option for gingerbread cake?

There are several vegan frosting options that pair wonderfully with gingerbread cake. Here are a few delicious choices:

Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: This tangy and creamy frosting is made with dairy-free cream cheese, powdered sugar, vegan butter, and vanilla extract. It adds a luscious touch to the spicy flavors of gingerbread.
Vegan Buttercream Frosting: Made with vegan butter or margarine, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, this classic frosting is versatile and can be flavored with spices like cinnamon or ginger to complement the gingerbread cake.
Coconut Whipped Cream: Light and fluffy, coconut whipped cream is a dairy-free alternative to traditional whipped cream. It's made from the thickened cream of full-fat coconut milk and can be sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with vanilla extract.
Vegan Chocolate Ganache: For chocolate lovers, a vegan chocolate ganache made with dairy-free chocolate and coconut milk or plant-based cream is a decadent option. Pour it over the gingerbread cake for a rich and glossy finish.
Maple Glaze: A simple and flavorful option, a maple glaze made with powdered sugar and pure maple syrup creates a deliciously sweet topping for gingerbread cake. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar or maple syrup as desired.

Remember to adjust the sweetness and thickness of the frosting according to your preference, and feel free to experiment with additional flavours and ingredients to create your perfect vegan frosting for gingerbread cake.

FAQ's

Which plant based milk should I use?

My go-to plant milk is a mixture of coconut and oat milk but generally most plant based milks will work in this recipe, although I haven't tried them. I would probably steer away from almond though because of the flavour. If you try the recipe with a particular milk do let me know in the comments.

How long will this sticky ginger cake keep for?

This cake should last for about a week if kept in an airtight container. It is best eaten sooner rather than later though for maximum stickiness, it will start to dry out after a few days.

Can I freeze vegan gingerbread cake?

Yes, you can freeze vegan gingerbread cake. Freezing gingerbread cake is a great way to extend its shelf life and have it on hand for future enjoyment. Here's how you can freeze it:

1. Allow the gingerbread cake to cool completely after baking.
If the cake is in a larger form, you can choose to freeze it whole or slice it into individual portions.

2. Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn and then wrap it with aluminum foil or place it in an airtight freezer-safe container.

3. Label the packaging with the date of freezing to keep track of its freshness.

4. Place the wrapped or containerized cake in the freezer.

When you're ready to enjoy the frozen gingerbread cake:

1. Remove the cake from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

2. Once thawed, you can enjoy it as is or warm it slightly in the oven or microwave if desired.

3. Optionally, you can frost the cake with your preferred vegan frosting after it has thawed.

Properly stored, a frozen gingerbread cake can last for several months. Just ensure it is well-wrapped to maintain its moisture and prevent any absorption of odours from the freezer.

Is treacle vegan-friendly?

Treacle is generally considered to be vegan-friendly. Treacle is a thick, syrupy sweetener that is often used as a substitute for molasses in recipes. It is derived from sugarcane or sugar beet, and its production typically involves the extraction and refining of sugar.

Since treacle is made from plant sources and doesn't contain any animal-derived ingredients, it is typically suitable for a vegan diet. However, it's always a good idea to check the specific brand or product label to ensure that no animal by-products or additives are included.

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