Affiliate disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Gingerbread is such a classic holiday flavor, and this Gingerbread Snack Cake with Sourdough Discard is packed with all the warm spices and rich molasses you love. It’s a great way to use up sourdough discard and fills your whole house with the smells of Christmas.
Similar in flavor to our favorite sourdough discard gingerbread loaf and these sourdough gingerbread waffles – but made in a cake pan which means it’s perfect for sharing and snacking. You’re going to love this snack cake all winter long.
Save this for later!
We'll email this post to you so it doesn't get lost in your open tabs 😉
Sourdough Discard in Gingerbread Cake
A word of warning: not all sourdough discard is created equal, age makes a difference. The discard that has been sitting in my fridge for a week or two gives a lot more “tang” to this cake. For some recipes you will want to taste that sourdough flavor. For this recipe, I prefer to use sourdough discard that is only a day or two old, so it cuts down on the tang. My family didn’t even know there was sourdough in this recipe – and I use the same method with this cranberry orange discard quickbread!
You can also use bubbly sourdough starter if you want in this gingerbread snack cake and it should work well. If you want to taste the tangy sourdough along with the gingerbread spices, go ahead and use up that 2 week old discard from your fridge. It will still taste delicious.
Can I Use Blackstrap Molasses?
Molasses is made out of sugar cane, and it is categorized depending on how many times the sugar cane syrup has been boiled and then extracted. The first boiling/extracting is light molasses. Second boiling/extracting is dark molasses and third boiling/extracting produces Blackstrap molasses (affiliate link). It is the most concentrated molasses and has a bittersweet flavor on its own. Typically you will find the “light” molasses in a regular grocery store. Health food stores and some grocery stores will often carry blackstrap molasses due to the concentrated nutrients found in it. In this cake, I love the flavor the blackstrap molasses brings when combined with the sugars. It gives a depth of delicious molasses flavor that pairs so nicely with the spices. If you don’t have blackstrap molasses on hand, you can substitute it for regular molasses (it just might not have as “punchy” of a flavor).
A Few Gingerbread Snack Cake Tips:
- The first step in making this gingerbread snack cake is to mix very hot (nearly boiling) water with the molasses. This helps break down the sugars in the molasses and lets it fully incorporate into the cake batter.
- I like to bake this cake at 400 degrees for the first ten minutes and then reduce the temperature and continue the bake. This hot temperature activates the baking powder in the cake, giving it a nice rise.
Deep Gingerbread/Molasses Flavor
If you really want the deep gingerbread flavor, this cake needs to cool completely before serving. As the cake cools, the flavors bloom and turn into the perfect mix of molasses/gingerbread heaven. If I am making this cake for my family, we will often snack on a piece fresh out of the oven…and then wait for it to cool and have another slice. We like to top it with whipped cream (fresh is best, but we don’t always have heavy whipping cream on hand), and it is just delicious. I hope you enjoy it too!
Gingerbread Snack Cake with Sourdough Discard
Save this for later!
We’ll email this post to you so it doesn’t get lost in your open tabs 😉
Equipment
- 8 by 8 baking pan metal
Ingredients
- 80 grams very hot water, 1/3 cup
- 110 grams blackstrap molasses, 1/3 cup, can substitute regular molasses
- 145 grams light brown sugar, 2/3 cup, can also use dark brown
- 40 grams granulated sugar, 3 Tablespoons
- 65 grams vegetable oil, 1/3 cup, any neutral flavored oil works
- 1 large egg, about 50 grams
- 180 grams sourdough discard, about 3/4 cup, see note
- 60 grams plain greek yogurt, 1/4 cup
- 140 grams all purpose flour, about 1 cup
- 2 grams baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon
- 4 grams baking powder, 1 teaspoon
- 6 grams ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons
- 4 grams ground ginger, 2 teaspoons
- 1 gram ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 grams salt, 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat an 8 by 8 pan with cooking spray or a parchment sling.
- To a liquid measuring cup, add 1/3 cup water. Microwave it until very hot or almost boiling. You can also do this on the stovetop. Add the molasses to the hot water and mix together. Set aside.
- To a medium-sized bowl, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil and egg. Whisk together. Whisk in the sourdough discard and yogurt and mix until combined.
- Add the molasses/water mixture, mixing as your pour it in (this helps temper the egg if the molasses mixture is still very hot) and whisk until completely smooth.
- To a small bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt. Fluff together. Add the flour mixture on top of the liquid mixture and whisk together until completely combined.
- Pour the batter into your greased pan and bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 minutes until the center is no longer jiggly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool before serving. This gingerbread snack cake deepens in flavor as it cools. Serve with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or fresh whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a very small amount from qualifying purchases.
Follow me on Instagram @amybakesbread, like Amy Bakes Bread on Facebook or follow me on Pinterest for more baking ideas. Please share this recipe if you enjoyed it! Post a photo and tag me @amybakesbread so I can see your bake.
Could I mix all the ingredients at night then bake in the morning?
Yes – that should work!
I’m a sucker for all things gingerbread and this cake is incredible! Love it!
Amy, can I double the recipe and bake it in a 9×13 pan?
I think that would work well. It may need a little more baking time if there’s more batter in the pan, but should bake up great.
Hi Amy
I have made this a few times now and it always works so well. My dad loves it and my two 7 year old girls love it. So win win. I have frozen this as well to pop in the girls lunch boxes which works perfectly.
My Canadian sister in law says it smells like the Christmas cookies they used to bake. It is such a moist but light cake. Love it.
I am so glad you love this. It is one of our favorites too!
Oooh! Can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for the share! 🍞😋❤️