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Home » Recipes » Healthier Desserts

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake with Oat Flour

By Laura Fuentes Updated Mar 15, 2024

5 from 9 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

Let me introduce you to the best gluten-free gingerbread cake! Full of rich holiday spice and soft-crumbed texture thanks to oat flour.

Every bite of this gluten-free gingerbread cake boasts rich holiday spices and molasses in a soft-crumbed texture. It is THE allergy-friendly version of the classic treat everyone will love.

Gingerbread is the flavor you want to help celebrate the season, and whether you dust your cake with powdered sugar or top it with cream cheese icing, this recipe is one you’ll come to again and again.

a few squares of gluten free gingerbread stacked on a plate

Super-Moist Gingerbread Cake with Oat Flour

You might be more familiar with gingerbread in the form of cookies and houses, but today I’m sharing an easy cake recipe with all those traditional flavors and a buttery, soft texture. 

Instead of regular all-purpose flour, we use homemade oat flour; it’s so easy to make and gives this recipe a golden flavor that complements the richness of molasses, maple syrup, and ginger spice!

Don’t you love discovering allergy-friendly versions of your favorite desserts that actually taste incredible? I do, and you’ll find many more recipes like this one in my latest cookbook: 

Clean Treats Cookbook

Healthy and wholesome dessert recipes you’ll want to eat made with clean ingredients you already have on hand.
Grab your copy today!

clean treats cookbook standing upright with small shadow behind
Buy the Book

Ingredients

Old-fashioned oats are a staple in my pantry mainly because of their versatility to star in delicious recipes like baked oatmeal, pancakes, muffins, cookies, and these Roasted Veggies and Savory Oats! 

Of course, it’s no surprise that you can turn this nutritious staple into flour and use it for baked goods like this one! Here’s what you’ll need: 

  • Old-fashioned oats: added to a blender and turned into oat flour. 
  • Leavening agents: this recipe requires both baking soda and powder to give the cake a fluffy texture. 
  • Cinnamon: the king of holiday spice. 
  • Ground ginger: essential for gingerbread spice. 
  • Ground cloves: super fragrant with a warm-sweet flavor. 
  • Salt: brings out the best in the other ingredients. 
  • Butter: makes a soft, moist cake. 
  • Molasses: use unsulphured molasses like Grandma’s Original. 
  • Maple syrup: too much molasses can be overpowering, so we cut it with this breakfast staple.
  • Eggs: binds the ingredients and helps the cake rise. 
  • Vanilla extract: for good measure. 
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk: or regular milk. 
  • Powdered sugar: to sprinkle over the top of the cake! 

You can find my Classic Gingerbread Cake recipe here which uses all-purpose flour.

side by side photo of flour in a blender and cake batter in a bowl

How to Make Oat Flour Gingerbread Cake 

Gingerbread cake is a one-bowl wonder recipe since the dry ingredients get blended with the oat flour and combined with the wet ingredients. 

They say the best “how-to” is always a visual so here is a video showing you how I transform my oats into cake!

For those that love step-by-step get the preview here, and then scroll to print out the whole recipe:

  1. Prepare
    Make the oat flour and preheat the oven to 350F and spray a 9 x 9-inch square pan generously with baking spray. 
  2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
    To the oat flour add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. 
  3. Whisk the Wet Ingredients
    In a separate large bowl, whisk the butter, molasses, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and almond milk.
  4. Combine
    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. 
  5. Bake
    Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. 
  6. Dust
    Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely before removing it from the pan and dusting with powdered sugar. 
overhead view of gingerbread cake batter in a square pan

Making Gingerbread Cake Dairy-Free 

Thankfully this is an easy cake recipe to make with dairy-free ingredients by swapping the melted butter for equal parts melted coconut oil or a vegan butter alternative.

How to Bake the Best Gingerbread Cake 

Outside of following the recipe, there are a few tips and tricks to make sure your cake turns out perfect every single time. 

How to Measure the Oats
Since this recipe uses Quaker’s Old-Fashioned oats, it’s important to note that you measure 3 cups of oats into the blender. From there, it will yield approximately 2 ¾ cups oat flour. Oats to flour ratio isn’t a 1 to 1 ratio, but I thought it would be simpler to start with the oats.

Line the pan
To prevent the cake from sticking, be sure to generously spray the pan or line pan with parchment paper. 

sprinkling powdered sugar over a gingerbread cake

Baking Pan
A 9×9 inch (22cm x 22cm) square cake pan will create thicker slices but you can always use a 9-inch (22cm) round pan. 

Molasses
You’ll want to use the finer molasses with a sweet, rich flavor and not Blackstrap, which can be bitter. 

Powdered Sugar
This ingredient is completely optional and used as decoration.

large square gingerbread cake topped with powdered sugar and cranberries

How to Serve Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread can be served fresh from the oven, chilled, or reheated- any way you like! If leftover cake is present, cut it into slices and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 5 days.

When you’re ready for a snack, remove a chilled slice and bite in, or give it a quick warm-up in the microwave.

Gluten-Free Toppings for Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread has an incredible flavor, but garnishing it with right toppings can turn this simple cake into a show-stopping dessert. Here’s a few ideas to get you inspired:

  • Cream cheese icing
  • Simple glaze: powered sugar + milk. 
  • Whipped cream + dash of cinnamon
  • Sliced orange + orange zest
  • Candied ginger slices
  • Fresh cranberries
  • Currants
plates of gingerbread cake topped with powdered sugar and cranberries

Does Gingerbread Cake Freeze Well

To develop this recipe I’ve tested quite a few batches and I can tell you that this gingerbread cake freezes very well.

You can make a few of them ahead of the holidays and gift them or stash them in your freezer to enjoy with your family.

Here’s how to make it last longer: 

  1. Slice the cake into individual portions. 
  2. Wrap each slice with plastic wrap and place them in a large, freezer-safe zip bag. 
  3. Seal the zip bag and freeze for up to 2 months. 

When you’re ready for a quick treat remove the desired amount of cake from the freezer and defrost at room temperature or reheat in the microwave, it’ll taste fresh like the day you baked it. 

How Long Does Gingerbread Last? 

In the freezer, gingerbread cake will last for up to 2 months. If stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator, in an airtight container it will be good for 5 days.  

Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake

Servings: 16 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 50 minutes mins
Let me introduce you to the best gluten-free gingerbread cake! Full of rich holiday spice and soft-crumbed texture thanks to oat flour.
5 from 9 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Old Fashion Oats, blend into flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • ¼ cup blackstrap molasses
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 2 teaspoons powdered sugar for dusting, optional

Instructions

  • In a blender or food processor, blend 3 cups of old fashioned oats into flour. Add the baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Give it a pulse or two to combine.
  • Preheat the oven to 350F and spray a 9 x 9-inch (22 x 22-cm) square pan generously with baking spray.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the butter, molasses, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and almond milk until smooth.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick, when inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cooldown for ten minutes and then transfer it to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar, if using.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Clean Treats
Clean Treats Cookbook

Nutrition

Serving: 1 square | Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 271mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 1mg

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Comments

    5 from 9 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Anna Marie says

    November 25, 2023 at 3:16 am

    Good morning Laura, I’m interested in making this recipe, but wondered if you can divide the amount of oat flour & use flour? When I’ve made it w/all oat flour, didn’t taste as well. Thanks, Anna Marie

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      November 27, 2023 at 1:01 pm

      I know exactly what you mean. Yes, you can definitely half the oat flour and use the other half traditional all-purpose flour. You’ll get a flufflier yield this way.

      Reply
  2. Gina Bustos says

    December 23, 2020 at 7:39 am

    5 stars
    Would using plain unsweetened almond milk work ok?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes says

      December 24, 2020 at 12:40 pm

      perfect!

      Reply
      • Lynn says

        February 11, 2024 at 2:21 pm

        Was wanting to try this recipe. Would Gluten Free all purpose flour work as well?. No oats or oat flour here I have to add xanthium gum to the flour when I bake with it. Almond milk is my go to

        Reply
        • Laura Fuentes says

          February 12, 2024 at 6:27 am

          Please read the recommended gluten-free flours for this recipe. I cannot comment or recommend others not listed in the post.

          Reply
    • Ivette Mendes says

      December 31, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe with coconut milk instead of almond milk, came out really good, melts in your mouth.
      Thank you for this recipe

      Reply
      • Laura Fuentes says

        January 04, 2021 at 12:03 pm

        Brillant swap! I glad you enjoyed this Gingerbread Cake recipe!

        Reply
  3. Eva Grace says

    December 11, 2020 at 10:34 pm

    5 stars
    This was the easiest gingerbread cake I’ve ever made. It was DELICIOUS!! It was hard to only eat two slices!

    Reply

Hi! I'm Laura.
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, mom of three, and the woman behind the world’s best pancakes—here to help you ditch the mealtime drama with recipes your family will actually eat.

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