Gingerbread Cake with Warm Butterscotch Sauce Recipe
This classic gingerbread recipe delivers a moist and flavorful cake infused with warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Topped with a rich, creamy butterscotch sauce, it’s a perfect dessert for the holiday season or any cozy gathering. The cake is simple to prepare and bakes to a tender crumb, complemented beautifully by the homemade sauce that adds luscious sweetness and depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Gingerbread Cake
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Butterscotch Sauce
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) cake pan and sprinkle it with flour to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking soda, and salt evenly to combine the spices and leavening agents.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk the melted butter with brown sugar, molasses, and hot water until the mixture looks homogeneous and the butter is fully incorporated without separation.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Ensure the wet mixture isn’t hot to avoid scrambling the eggs; then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract thoroughly to blend.
- Mix Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently whisk until smooth with no lumps. The resulting batter will be fairly thin.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Make Butterscotch Sauce: While the cake bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low to medium heat. Once melted, add brown sugar and salt, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves.
- Incorporate Cream: Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then whisk in the whipping cream continuously until fully incorporated and smooth while gently boiling.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Serve: Once the gingerbread cake is cooled enough to slice, cut it using a sharp knife. Serve slices warm topped with the warm butterscotch sauce. Optionally, add a dollop of whipped cream and a light sprinkle of cinnamon for an extra touch.
Notes
- Make sure the wet ingredients are not too hot before adding eggs to prevent scrambling.
- Molasses can be substituted with dark corn syrup or honey in a pinch, but molasses gives traditional flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend at a 1:1 ratio.
- Serving the cake warm enhances the flavors and the luscious texture of the butterscotch sauce.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
Keywords: gingerbread cake, butterscotch sauce, holiday dessert, spiced cake, molasses cake
