Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake with Eggnog Frosting
A super moist gluten-free gingerbread cake that is fragrant with warm wintry spices and dark rich molasses. The cake is delicious even without frosting, but dress iIt up with a swirl of eggnog buttercream frosting!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 55 min
- Yield
- 10 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon teff flour
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons sweet rice flour
- ¾ cup + 1½ tablespoons gluten-free oat flour
- 3 tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses ((not blackstrap))
- ¼ cup boiling water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon freshly peeled and grated ginger (I use a zester)
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (slightly softened)
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons eggnog
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush the bottom of a 4.5x8.5 1lb loaf pan and an inch up the sides with butter. Line the bottom with parchment paper (I recommend a non-stick pan, but if not using a non-stick, brush the butter on all sides and line the pan with a sling of parchment paper).
- 2
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the teff flour, sweet rice flour, oat flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and ground spices. Set aside.
- 3
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the molasses and boiling water until smooth. Set aside.
- 4
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars over medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- 5
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until just incorporated and scraping down the sides after each one. Add the vanilla extract and fresh ginger and mix until combined.
- 6
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk then molasses mixture, scraping down the sides as needed. Mix until smooth.
- 7
Pour into the prepared baking pan, smoothing out the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- 8
Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan before removing from the pan. Let cool completely (about 1 hour) on a wire rack before frosting.
- 9
When ready to frost, prepare the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter over medium-high speed until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar in two parts alternating with the eggnog. Add the vanilla, salt, and spices and mix until smooth. Swirl the frosting over the cooled cake and dust with more nutmeg, if desired.