Do you love the cozy, warm spice of gingerbread in baked goods? If so, you're sure to be delighted by this delicious gingerbread cake and cupcake recipe! Nothing quite captures the warmth and comfort of the holiday season like fragrant, spicy gingerbread treats. Today we’re going on a delightful journey into all things gingerbread: from classic cakes to creative cupcakes and more. So get your kitchen in order, visit the market and get what you need and let’s bake together!
Hey honey, try this new twist on an old classic
Our Honey-infused Gingerbread Cake hits the spot as the crisp autumn air sets in; my taste buds long for those comforting dishes that remind me of home. And who better to inspire this delectable treat than my talented pastry chef mother, with her love of baking? Gingerbread holds a special place in my heart, thanks to my memories of my mother's baking. It's become a cherished tradition for me to whip up this delightful dessert as soon as the temperatures drop. The perfect blend of warmth and sweetness – a gingerbread magic that will win your family over all season long! What I do differently than my mother, is exchange the sugar in her recipe with honey. Baking with honey (up to a cup) is a breeze and as for the honey varietal, if you ask me, the darker the better (try buckwheat honey when we have it.)
Gingerbread, Your Way
Get creative with how you bake this gingerbread cake! Whether you prefer baking cupcakes, or baking in a loaf pan (to resemble bread), or bake it in a pie plate (as shown), the choice is yours. I personally made a batch of delightful cupcakes and shared them with my colleagues at work and had a blast making gingerbread cookies at the same time! To add the perfect finishing touch, I topped off the cupcakes with creamy buttercream icing and a cute little gingerbread man. Let your imagination run wild and enjoy the deliciousness! Served with a side of love
if you opt to bake the whole loaf or cake, my favorite way to garnish this gingerbread cake is with whipped heavy cream, add a couple of tablespoons of Grand Marnier, and a teaspoon of minimally filtered honey. This topping will melt right into the cake, making it even more moist and delicious. Vanilla ice cream works fine too.
This moist, cake-like gingerbread is the perfect pair for a cup of warm tea or coffee. The mixture of spices warms you up even on the most chilly autumn nights and excited your tastebuds.
In a hurry? Try a mix
Side note: Right after I graduated from college, and before I knew anything about cooking I would pick up a box of Hodgson Mill Gingerbread Mix and throw in some orange zest, a little honey some fresh ground ginger to doctor it up a bit. It wasn't half bad for a boxed mix but it appears to be discontinued.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter.
- Place butter in a large bowl and stir until creamy.
- Add honey and molasses, and mix until smooth.
- Sift flour into a large bowl.
- Stir in ginger, arrowroot powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mace.
- Zest the orange.
- Cut the orange in half and squeeze juice to yield about 4 tablespoons.
- Add it to the zest in a small bowl.
- Fold in flour mixture along with warm milk, Grand Marnier, eggs, orange juice, and zest. Mix until smooth. Fold in chopped walnuts.
- Fill prepared pans with batter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out of the cake clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with powdered sugar or whipped cream topping, if desired. If you made cupcakes, buttercream icing and a small gingerbread cookie garnish is really cute!
Spice up your Gingerbread with honey
Feeling adventurous? Play around with the ingredients in your gingerbread. There's lots of room for experimentation with a simple recipe like this! Here are some of our favorite tricks:
- Dust with powdered sugar instead of an icing
- Add chopped craisins to the batter before baking
- Drizzle with Cashew Cream Icing when the bread is cool
- Play with the type of honey! Sourwood Honey and Cranberry Honey would pair lovely with the spices and orange used in this recipe.
- Make these gingerbread cookies to decorate the cake!
I hope this recipe has made you as eager to bake the most delicious gingerbread as I was all those years ago in my mother's kitchen.
The aroma of spices and cinnamon will fill your home, dancing in the air and inviting everyone to try a slice. I think even the Grinch would be won over by a baking tray of gingerbread! To make sure you get the full authentic experience, I suggest you follow recipes from books used by generations of bakers: one with traditional family secrets passed on from generation to generation or one that gives modern baked goods a special twist. This ideal winter treat can be enjoyed for any occasion or just because. So go ahead, give it a try and share it with your family!
If you bake up our Gingerbread, share a photo with the hashtag #beeinspired on Instagram. We love seeing your photos!
FAQs About Honey Gingerbread Cake and Cupcakes
Can I use honey instead of sugar in gingerbread cake?
Yes. This recipe replaces the sugar entirely with honey, and the swap works beautifully in gingerbread because the batter already leans on molasses and warm spices. Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it holds onto moisture, so the cake bakes up soft and stays moist longer than a sugar-based version. Substituting up to a cup of honey for sugar is straightforward in a spiced batter like this one. Keep an eye on the cake near the end of the bake, since honey browns a little faster than sugar.
What kind of honey is best for gingerbread?
The darker the better. Bold, dark varietals stand up to ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses instead of disappearing into them. Buckwheat honey is the classic choice, with a malty, molasses-like depth that reinforces everything gingerbread is already doing. Sourwood honey brings a buttery, caramel finish, and cranberry honey adds a gentle tartness that plays nicely with the orange zest and juice in this recipe. A light floral honey will still work, but the honey flavor will be much more subtle in the finished cake.
Can I make this gingerbread as cupcakes or a loaf instead of a cake?
Yes, the batter is flexible. Bake it in two 9-inch round pans for a layer cake, a loaf pan for a bread-style presentation, a pie plate for a rustic single layer, or portion it into lined muffin tins for cupcakes. Smaller formats bake faster, so start checking cupcakes well before the 35 minute mark and rely on the toothpick test rather than the clock. Cupcakes are lovely finished with buttercream and a small gingerbread cookie on top.
How do I know when gingerbread cake is done?
Use the toothpick test. At 350 degrees, the cake typically needs 35 to 40 minutes, and it is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Because honey batters brown more readily than sugar batters, the top can look finished before the center is set, so trust the toothpick over the color. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before slicing or turning it out.
Do I need molasses if the recipe already has honey?
Keep both. Honey and molasses do different jobs in this cake. Molasses delivers the deep color and the slightly bitter edge that makes gingerbread taste like gingerbread, while honey brings moisture, tenderness, and its own varietal character. Using honey alone would give you a paler, milder spice cake. The pairing is what makes the flavor layered instead of one-note.
How should I store honey gingerbread cake?
Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature, where it keeps well for a few days. Because honey holds onto moisture, this cake actually stays soft longer than most sugar-based cakes and often tastes even better on the second day. For longer storage, wrap slices tightly and freeze, then thaw at room temperature. If your cake is topped with whipped cream, add the topping just before serving and refrigerate any leftovers with cream on them.
