Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake with Warm Lemon Sauce

Why you’ll love it

• Deeply spiced and moist: molasses and warm spices make a tender, sticky-topped cake.
• Bright lemon sauce: a warm, tangy sauce that makes every bite taste fresh.
• Easy and crowd-sized: one bowl, one 9×13 pan and 15 generous squares for about $0.75 each.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the gingerbread

• 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup (150 g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml / 330 g) unsulphured molasses (regular or robust, not blackstrap)
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot water

For the warm lemon sauce

• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (16 g) cornstarch
• 1 pinch fine salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold water
• 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter
• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

For serving (optional)

• Lightly sweetened whipped cream

Step-by-step method

1. Prepare the oven and pan. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) metal baking pan and dust it with flour, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.

2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt until evenly combined.

3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the molasses, until glossy and well blended.

4. Make the batter. Add half of the flour mixture and stir with a whisk or spatula until just combined. Stir in the hot water, then add the remaining flour mixture and whisk gently until the batter is smooth and no dry flour remains. The batter will be thin; that is normal.

5. Bake. Pour the batter into the pan, tap it on the counter to release air bubbles and bake 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.

6. Make the lemon sauce. While the cake bakes, whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cold water until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil, then boil 1 minute, until thick, glossy and clear. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, lemon zest and lemon juice.

7. Cool and serve. Let the gingerbread cool in the pan on a rack for at least 20 minutes. Cut it into 15 squares and serve warm, with a few spoonfuls of warm lemon sauce over each piece and whipped cream, if you like.

How to know it is done

The gingerbread is baked when the top is evenly dark brown and slightly domed, springs back when lightly pressed in the center, the edges just begin to pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter. If the center sinks as it cools, it needed a few more minutes. The lemon sauce is ready when it turns from cloudy to clear and coats the back of a spoon.

Tips for the best result

• Use regular or robust unsulphured molasses; blackstrap molasses is too bitter for this cake.
• Grease your measuring cup before adding the molasses so it slides right out.
• Use fresh spices; ground ginger and cloves lose their punch after about a year.
• Mix gently and only until smooth, so the cake stays tender.
• If you only have a glass dish, lower the oven to 325°F (165°C) and start checking at 40 minutes.

Variations and substitutions

• Coffee gingerbread: use 1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee instead of the hot water for a deeper flavor.
• Extra ginger: add 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger to the wet ingredients and 1/3 cup (55 g) chopped crystallized ginger to the batter.
• Orange sauce: use orange juice and orange zest in the sauce instead of lemon.
• Cream cheese frosting: skip the sauce and spread the cooled cake with your favorite cream cheese frosting.
• Dairy-free: use 3/4 cup (180 ml) neutral vegetable oil instead of the butter in the cake and plant-based butter in the sauce.
• Smaller batch: halve all the ingredients (use 1 egg) and bake in an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) pan for 30 to 35 minutes.

Make ahead

Gingerbread gets even better the next day, as the spices mellow and the crumb gets moister. Bake it up to 2 days ahead, let it cool completely, cover the pan tightly and keep it at room temperature. Make the lemon sauce up to 5 days ahead and refrigerate it in a jar; it thickens when cold, so rewarm it gently on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water, stirring until smooth.

Storage and reheating

Keep the gingerbread covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Warm individual squares in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds. To freeze, wrap squares tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour. Store the lemon sauce separately in the refrigerator.