A simple, step-by-step recipe for THE BEST moist and fluffy sourdough gingerbread cake made with sourdough discard. It’s so soft it will melt in your mouth! My secret ingredients include toasty brown butter, vanilla extract and luscious sour cream.

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 which is confusing because gingerbread is not my specialty. Sourdough is my specialty, so I’ve combined the two into a sensuous gingerbread cake that begs to be made all year round, not just the festive season.

Sourdough discard is a key ingredient, which adds a lovely 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 cake 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, when you read through my recipe 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, a pot. The kind you put on a stove to make pasta or oatmeal (or both). I truly believe this method, particularly the order in which the ingredients are mixed, is responsible for the cake’s signature moist and fluffy texture (just like my sourdough banana bread). You’ll see. But first, molasses.

Regular Molasses Vs. Blackstrap: What’s The Difference?

To make gingerbread, you’ll need molasses. There are a few different types on the market. Molasses 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 such as Grandma’s brand. In comparison, Wholesome brand blackstrap molasses was not my favorite in this cake. Too strong. Too rich. I didn’t care for it in gingerbread cookies either.

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.

Sourdough Gingerbread Ingredients: You Will Need

All purpose flour
Baking soda
Fine sea salt
Sour cream
Large eggs
Sourdough discard or active sourdough starter
Butter
Regular molasses (Grandma’s)
Light brown sugar
Water (or stout beer, such as Guinness)
Ground ginger
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Pure vanilla extract

How To Make Sourdough Gingerbread: Step-By-Step

Bowl of flour, baking soda and salt — Flour, baking soda + salt

Bowl of sour cream, eggs and sourdough starter — Flour, baking soda + salt

Step #1: Prep The Flour & Sour Cream Mixture

Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
Whisk the sour cream, eggs and sourdough starter in a separate small bowl; set aside.

Mixture of butter, molasses, brown sugar and spices in a pot — Brown butter

Step #2: Make The Brown Butter & Molasses Mixture

In a medium saucepan, 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 brown butter (off heat): add the molasses, brown sugar, water, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla extract. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. The texture will be very runny.

Flour in pot with molasses mixture — Flour mixture

Swirled sour cream mixture into sourdough gingerbread batter — Sour cream mixture

Sourdough gingerbread batter mixed in a pot — Sour cream mixture

Step #3: Combine The Gingerbread Batter

Add the sifted four mixture to the pot.
Whisk thoroughly to dissolve any lumps, but don’t over do it.
Add the sour cream mixture.
Whisk to combine.

Gingerbread batter in a baking pan — Gingerbread batter

Baked sourdough gingerbread cake in a baking pan — Gingerbread batter

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.
Place the baking pan on the center rack. Bake @ 350 F/ 180 C for 35 minutes or until a toothpick (or dry spaghetti strand) comes out clean when inserted.
Remove from the oven and 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!

More Sourdough Discard Recipes To Try!