There's something so festive about a gingerbread cake fresh from the oven. The warming spices just scream Christmas, and this Healthy Gingerbread Cake delivers everything you love about the classic gingerbread flavours, but with a lighter, naturally sweetened twist.
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This healthy gingerbread cake is so easy to make, as it all comes together in one bowl.
A great Christmas baking activity with kids, and there are so many different ways to bake it. It also freezes really well without the frosting too.
Whilst we love all the deliciously indulgent treats at Christmas time, it can feel like a lot sometimes. So, we like to have some healthier alternatives in our recipe rotation too and this healthy gingerbread cake is a favourite with our kids.
Great for Christmas themed packed lunches too.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Apple sauce - I use store-bought and I buy it on Amazon in bulk. But you could cook your own apples and puree them.
- Milk - Any milk will work.
- Coconut oil - You can use unsalted butter if you prefer.
- Maple syrup - You can swap this for honey if you prefer. Whilst traditional gingerbread treats would use molasses, we didn't want to buy it specially, so we used maple syrup.
- Cinnamon and ginger
- Baking powder and Baking soda
- Vanilla - Always use vanilla extract and not essence.
Variations
Oats - If you wanted to make it more nutritious, and boost the fibre, then you could swap the flour for oat flour. Just blend rolled oats into flour. This would make the cake a lot more dense, and more like baked oats though. Have you tried our Gingerbread Baked Oats?
Loaf cake/Muffins - Instead of a cake tray, you can pour the mixture into a loaf tin and make a gingerbread loaf or into muffin cases to make individual cakes.
Mix-ins - You could add some dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or cherries or even some chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts.
Extra ginger - If you REALLY like ginger, then as well as adjusting the amount of ground ginger that you add, you can chop up some crystalised ginger and mix it in.
How To Make Healthy Gingerbread Cake
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 20x20cm/8x8inch square cake tin with baking paper.
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg and add the milk, apple sauce, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Mix it all together.
- Step 2: Add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Step 3: Fold everything together until fully combined.
- Step 4: Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin.
- Step 5: Put into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Topping Ideas
The topping on this healthy gingerbread cake is made with Greek yogurt for a healthy frosting alternative.
Greek yogurt mixed with some vanilla, maple syrup and ground ginger. It's only optional (so not included in the nutritional info) and we wouldn't recommend adding it if you are planning to store any - a more traditional frosting freezes better.
A regular buttercream or cream cheese frosting works too, but it is also really delicious without a topping, as it's a moist cake. If you expect to have a lot leftover, then leave the topping off. A simple icing sugar glaze works too.
It's Christmas, so that means sprinkles. These add a lot of extra colour to fill in all that white topping and of course some mini gingerbread people.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter as the cake will be dense.
- To check that the cake it cooked, put a toothpick or wooden skewer into it, and it should come out clean.
- Add a snowy effect with a dusting of icing sugar before serving.
- Little dots of pomegranate would add lots of colour and make it look even more festive.
- You could also make a layer cake by slicing it in half and adding frosting in-between the slices.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the cake isn't topped with the yogurt frosting, then you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature and it will keep for 4 days. You can also store it without topping in the freezer, individually wrapped for up to a month. If it is topped with yogurt, then you can keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.
More Gingerbread Recipes
If you've tried this easy gingerbread cake recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Healthy Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Egg
- 125 ml (0.5 cup) Maple syrup
- 55 g (0.25 cup) Coconut oil - melted
- 180 ml (0.75 cup) Skimmed milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 180 ml (0.75 cup) Apple sauce
- 320 g (2 cups) Plain flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4. Line a 20x20cm/8x8inch square cake tin with baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 Egg and add 180 ml Skimmed milk, 180 ml Apple sauce, 125 ml Maple syrup, 55 g Coconut oil (melted) and 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract. Mix it all together.
- Add 320 g Plain flour, 1 teaspoon Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Baking soda, 1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon Ground ginger into the wet mixture.
- Fold everything together until fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin.
- Put into the oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter as the cake will be dense.
- To check that the cake it cooked, put a toothpick or wooden skewer into it, and it should come out clean.
- Add a snowy effect with a dusting of icing sugar before serving.
- Little dots of pomegranate would add lots of colour and make it look even more festive.
- You could also make a layer cake by slicing it in half and adding frosting in-between the slices.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Karen says
Will this work with gluten free flour?
Dannii Martin says
I haven't tried it myself, but I don't see why not.
Debbie says
Should you simply replace gluten free flour in the same quantity as the regular flour?