Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake 

Create a rich and moist cake that captures the flavor of the holidays and is healthier for you than the average dessert! This Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake combines ginger and molasses with gluten-free oat flour and Greek yogurt to make a tender, delicious cake that’s nutritionally balanced.

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This gluten-free gingerbread cake recipe has more protein than a typical cake, doesn’t use processed sugar, and has fewer carbs. It’s still packed with the traditional gingerbread flavor you want to enjoy during the holidays, too! This is the perfect dessert for holiday parties, Christmas dinner, or even breakfast on Christmas morning.

If you like gluten-free gingerbread recipes, you will love my salted gingerbread cookies and healthy chocolate gingerbread loaf!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• A Nutritionally Balanced Dessert: Creating healthier versions of our favorite desserts is not a new concept, but too often the ingredients in those recipes are not high-quality, and the macronutrients aren’t well-balanced. This recipe balances the calories, fat, protein, and carbs in the cake to make a more balanced dessert that’s better for you.
• Low Calorie: This healthy gingerbread cake has less than 200 calories per serving, which is significantly less than most desserts. The calories also come from better macronutrients, which are important if you’re concerned with hormonal fat loss.
• Bursting with Gingerbread Flavor: Making a healthier dessert doesn’t mean sacrificing your favorite holiday flavors. This recipe still contains molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, which are the key components to making a great-tasting gingerbread.

Ingredients

• Gluten-Free Oat Flour: This flour is great for making healthier desserts because it has a higher fiber content and a low glycemic index. You can also use regular oat flour for the same benefits if you don’t need the recipe to be gluten-free.
• Greek Yogurt: A nonfat Greek yogurt adds moisture to the cake and also adds protein to make the cake more nutritionally balanced. 
• Monkfruit: This natural, zero-calorie sweetener makes a great substitute for sugar in healthy dessert recipes.
• Molasses: You can’t have a gingerbread dessert without the rich, slightly bitter flavor of molasses. 
• Eggs: Not only do eggs add a bit of protein to the cake, but they also act as a binder to help hold the cake together. 
• Spices: This delicious winter-spiced cake needs warm cinnamon and ground ginger to achieve the best flavor possible.
• Frosting: A light cream cheese frosting sweetened with maple syrup brings this cake together.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.

Variations & Dietary Modifications

• Make It Dairy-Free: If you need your gluten-free gingerbread cake to be dairy-free or Paleo, you should use a dairy-free Greek yogurt and cream cheese instead. You could also try my cashew cream frosting from this dairy-free pumpkin spice coffee cake recipe.
• Use Flax Eggs: Make this recipe egg-free and use flax eggs as the binder instead. Combine 2 tablespoons of ground flax with 4 tablespoons of water to make these vegan eggs.
• Try a Marscarpone Frosting: Instead of cream cheese, try this gluten-free ginger cake with a whipped mascarpone frosting instead. Mascarpone has a milder and sweeter flavor that pairs well with the gingerbread.
• Spice It Up: Add more spices to your cake, like nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, for a bolder and warmer flavor.

How to Make Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake

This healthy gingerbread cake is the perfect gluten-free dessert to take to your holiday parties. The flavor is so good people won’t notice it’s gluten-free, but your gluten-intolerant friends will be so happy to have such a delicious dessert option! Before you make this cake, you’ll need to preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with cooking spray and parchment paper.

Step 1: Whisk Dry Ingredients. Whisk the gluten-free oat flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a bowl bowl.  

Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients. Combine the eggs, olive oil, molasses, monkfruit, and Greek yogurt in a separate, large mixing bowl. Then slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Don’t over mix the batter.

Step 3: Add to the Baking Dish. Pour the batter into your prepared 8×8-inch baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the top into an even layer. 

Step 4: Bake the Cake. Bake the cake for 25-28 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick stuck in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool until it reaches room temperature. 

Step 5: Make the Frosting. Use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to whip together the cream cheese, maple syrup, and vanilla.  

Step 6: Frost the Cake. Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon before slicing into squares. 

Name a better pairing than coffee and dessert after a holiday meal! Serve this gf gingerbread cake with a skinny peppermint mocha to enjoy the maximum amount of holiday flavors.

Expert Tips

• Cool the Cake Before Icing: It’s important to let the cake cool completely before attempting to frost it. A warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting and turn into a thin puddle over the top.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow the eggs and Greek yogurt to sit on the counter and reach room temperature before mixing your ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients helps avoid clumps in the batter. 
• Whisk the Dry Ingredients: Use a whisk to mix the dry ingredients. This will help ensure that the spices are well incorporated into the flour and help you avoid pockets of spices in the cake. 
• Storing: Store any leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  You can also wrap leftover cake in plastic cling wrap and freeze it for up to 30 days. When ready to serve, remove the cake from the freezer and set it on the counter to thaw before enjoying.

Serving Suggestions

This gingerbread cake is completely gluten-free and perfect for the holiday season. It’s an excellent contribution to the dessert table at your friends’ holiday parties, a special treat for your family throughout the season, or the perfect Christmas dessert. It’s sure to be a hit with everyone due to the rich flavor and moist texture; they won’t even notice that it’s healthy too! 

• Sometimes we all need an afternoon sweet treat, like a slice of cake. Pair this cake with a pumpkin gingerbread smoothie or hot chocolate smoothie for extra protein and nutrients to fuel the rest of your day.
• The holidays are a great time to enjoy filling and nutritious comfort foods. Try this gingerbread cake for dessert after eating a healthier shepherd’s pie for dinner.

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