Ultra soft and moist, perfectly spiced ginger molasses cake with a decadent white chocolate glaze. This cake is the perfect combination of flavors to get you in the holiday spirit, but secretly gluten-free and lightened-up with NO butter or oil!
I know, I know…it’s a little early, but I couldn’t give you a holiday themed giveaway without giving you some ginger molasses. Plus, it’s post Halloween, which is the rule in my book. In fact, I have asked Steve no less than 4 times whether we could put out Christmas tree up after Halloween. He still makes me wait until after Thanksgiving, which I think is so rude because Thanksgiving has been so late these last 2 years!
Anyway, it’s finally November, and I’m ready to get into the holiday spirit! I’m ready to get out Winston’s Hanukkah sweater, my candy cane shirt, and of course LIGHTS! Not to mention, every year I start teaching my performance troupe holiday songs in AUGUST, so I’m ready to actually enjoy them.
So let’s start with this cake. It is so simple, but filled with all of your favorite holiday flavors. It is also one of the softest, most tender cakes I have ever eaten. Not just out of the healthy cakes I make, but like, ever. That Taylor Swift lyric was totally unintentional. But I’m not deleting it. I just wish I had accidentally quoted Shake it Off instead because I’m kind of obsessed with it.
Anyway… This cake uses pumpkin puree (a great use for your fall baking leftovers!) in place of oil. It doesn’t taste like pumpkin. The very mild flavor that pumpkin puree contains on its own pairs perfectly with the gingerbread spices and, along with the buttermilk, is what makes this cake so unbelievably soft. Pumpkin is a great oil/butter replacement all year round! The glaze is thick with just the right amount of sweetness to balance out the bite of the spicy ginger. It is so good, you’ll find yourself making it in July!
Ultra soft and moist, perfectly spiced ginger molasses cake with a decadent white chocolate glaze. This cake is the perfect combination of flavors to get you in the holiday spirit, but secretly gluten-free and lightened-up with NO butter or oil!
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- pinch salt
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup reduced fat buttermilk
- 4 ounces white chocolate (preferably a good quality white chocolate, but white chocolate chips will work)
- 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9" square pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. In a large bowl beat together pumpkin, molasses, brown sugar and lemon zest. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in half the dry ingredients, followed by buttermilk, then remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined--do not over mix.
- Transfer to prepared baking pan and bake until browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about 35-40 minutes. Cool completely.
- To make glaze place white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl (if using a bar, make sure it is chopped into small pieces). Heat for 20-30 seconds just to warm the white chocolate. Heat almond milk until almost boiling, then pour 2 tablespoons immediately over warmed white chocolate. Stir until melted. Add last tablespoon of milk if desired to get a thinner glaze. Frost and serve. Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 5-7 days.
To ring in the holiday baking season, my friends and I on the Real Housemoms team are bringing you a Holiday Baking Giveaway! One winner will receive $500 in prizes, including a 4.5 quart KitchenAid Stand Mixer, a signed copy of Dessert Mash-Ups, $150 in PayPal cash, and more! And to give you some baking inspiration to make with your winnings, we’re sharing 40+ Holiday Baking Recipes too! Happy baking and good luck!
This looks delicious and I’m not even a big gingerbread type person! The pumpkin makes it sound more appealing to me, and the white chocolate!
Jamie @ couchtoironwoman recently posted…Do I Have What it Takes?
ohhh you’re my fav holiday treat. LOL! jk. how about pumpkin cheesecake rolls?
I love spritz cookies and I only make them around christmas.
My favorite holiday treat is pie simply because I don’t have it year round like cookies or cake. My grandma always made the best pecan pie, mine is edible!
I love peppermint bark!
Oh my goodness…my waistline is weeping but my taste buds are orgasmic right now…
Stephanie (@FitMomTraining) recently posted…How I’m Healing my Diastasis Recti
The holidays are pretty well a treat on their own 😛
Kierston recently posted…#RECIPEFRIDAY: Cinnamon, Raisin and Walnut Loaf…
favorite holiday treat? that’s a tough one. a really tough one. in fact, i can’t pick. any dessert! lol
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…behind the scenes blog tour
oooh, looks good — I made a ginger cake too this week! Tis the season
Jennifer F recently posted…Maple Ginger Chocolate Bread Recipe & #R3Summit Recap
These recipes look sooo good! Can’t wait to get too some holiday baking!
Anything pumpkin!!
Ani recently posted…Spanish Chickpea and Spinach Stew
I love shortbread! We make shortbread logs, then dip them in chocolate and roll them in crushed candy canes 🙂
I love all the cookies and pumpkin bread!
My favourite holiday treat is shortbread. I use my grandma’s recipe and I only ever make it during the holidays.
Buckeyes!!!
Vicki recently posted…The Dunning Man by Kevin Fortuna
My favorite holiday treat is spending time with my whole family, we live in different states. My next favorite is ALL the cookies!
Ohhhhh, there are so many to choose from, but I think my all-time favorite has to be a luscious coconut cake, hands down.