Best Sourdough Gingerbread Cake

My moist and fluffy sourdough gingerbread cake is made with sourdough discard, toasty brown butter, molasses and rich sour cream (my secret ingredient). It’s so soft it will melt in your mouth! Read on for simple step-by-step instructions and make-ahead options. Makes (1) 9×13-inch cake.

I will go on record stating that Nigella Lawson’s gingerbread recipe, and I’m referring to her gingerbread “cake” not the cookie (or the house) is the best the Internet has to offer. Every time I make it, I get rave reviews. Add sourdough, and it becomes a sensuous recipe anyone can make.

Sourdough discard is a key ingredient which adds depth of flavor. You can use active sourdough starter too, which gives the cake an extra lift. Your choice. Your cake.

Does it taste sour? No. The addition of baking soda neutralizes any off-putting “sour” notes that naturally occur within the sourdough starter itself. Works like a charm in all of my sourdough discard recipes.

Diving Deeper: For more info on baking with sourdough discard, read Sourdough Discard 101: Recipes & Faqs Answered.

The Taste.

My sourdough gingerbread tastes sweet, but not cloyingly so, with the heady scent of familiar holiday-spices: ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves.

I go the extra mile and brown the butter for a subtle nutty flavor. One full cup (200 g) of sour cream makes the texture incredibly soft and moist, and to be honest, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a stand out ingredient for sure.

Finally, pay close attention to the mixing method. There’s no creaming of the butter and sugar first, or waiting patiently next to a stand mixer. The entire batter is melted and mixed in a pot!

Yes, the kind you put on a stove to make pasta or oatmeal (or both). It’s responsible for the cake’s signature fluffy texture (just like my sourdough banana bread). You’ll see. But first, molasses…

You’ll Need The Right One.

To make gingerbread, you’ll need the right molasses which is a dark, thick, rich syrup made from boiled sugar cane. I tested regular molasses and blackstrap molasses which are similar but different.

Regular molasses is sweeter, contains more moisture, and is less acidic. Blackstrap molasses is darker and more bitter. Choose regular molasses for this gingerbread recipe. I like Grandma’s. In comparison, Wholesome blackstrap molasses was not my favorite in this cake. Too strong. Too rich. I didn’t care for it in gingerbread cookies either.

How To Make Sourdough Gingerbread {Step-By-Step Recipe}

Step 1: Prep The Flour & Sour Cream Mixture

To start, sift your dry ingredients together. Then whisk the sour cream, eggs and sourdough starter in a separate small bowl; set aside.

Step 2: Make The Brown Butter & Molasses Mixture

Melt the butter over medium heat until it becomes light golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to stir often, so you can see the little brown bits forming on the bottom of the pot. Golden bits = flavor! Remove pan from the heat.

To the browned butter (off heat): add the molasses, brown sugar, water, spices and vanilla. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. The texture will be very runny.

Step 3: Combine The Gingerbread Batter

Now, add the sifted flour mixture to the pot. Whisk thoroughly to dissolve any lumps, but don’t over do it. Whisk in the sour cream mixture.

Step 4: Bake The Gingerbread Cake

Pour the gingerbread batter into a 9×13 inch/ 23×33 cm baking pan lined with parchment paper. The texture will not be very thick; it should look like runny sour cream.

Bake @ 350 F/ 180 C for 35 minutes or until a toothpick or dry spaghetti strand comes out clean. Your kitchen will smell like a Yankee candle.

Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling or cut into slices and serve warm.

Tip: To get parchment paper to lay flat in the baking pan, scrunch it up, and briefly run it under the tap. Then open it up, shake off the water and line the pan. Thank Jamie Oliver for this tip.

How To Serve Sourdough Gingerbread Cake

Just like a classic black dress, this gingerbread cake can be dressed up or down, easily.

If I’m making this for my family as a casual snack cake, I’ll cut it into chunky squares and dust with powdered sugar.

To doll it up, say for a festive holiday occasion, I’ll add whipped cream and raspberries and serve in individual cupcake liners. You’ll find the individual servings very cute and convenient. People are more likely to eat them all when presented this way!

Can You Make It Ahead?

Yes. In fact, this gingerbread cake gets better as it sits. Bake in the morning, to serve in the evening. Or, bake the cake the night before for a stickier, denser texture. For either option: cover the pan with foil and leave out at room temperature. Just make sure the foil doesn’t touch the surface of the cake or it will stick and pull off the top.