During the holiday season, the kitchen is always buzzing with the preparation of all kinds of sweet treats. Gingerbread cake is one of the most popular Christmas desserts, and as it bakes, the warm aroma of spices fills the house.
Loved for its soft, moist texture and rich honey flavor, gingerbread cake is known for its unique taste and deeply spiced, comforting notes.
It is perfect enjoyed with a cup of coffee, or served with foie gras during the holidays for a classic festive pairing.
Ultra Soft Eggless Gingerbread Recipe
Table of Contents
Moist Eggless Gingerbread Cake
I realized that I had never shared the recipe for a traditional eggless gingerbread cake. I have already shared the wonderful gingerbread recipe from Thierry Mulhaupt, which is absolutely fantastic, but this version was still missing.
These are two recipes I have been making for years. They are both simple, reliable, and truly delicious.
If you have always thought that gingerbread gets its signature moist texture from eggs, that is actually not true. The real secret is honey. It is what gives gingerbread its softness, and this ultra moist eggless gingerbread cake proves it perfectly.
If you are unsure which recipe to choose, both versions make excellent gingerbread, so feel free to bake one or the other depending on your mood. However, if you or someone close to you has an egg allergy, or if you are looking for a more traditional style of gingerbread, this recipe will be the perfect choice.
What You’ll Love About This Gingerbread Cake
- Its ultra moist texture, thanks to honey and warm spices
- Made without eggs, yet just as soft and flavorful as the classic version
- A rich honey flavor with perfectly balanced spices
- Easy to make with simple, everyday ingredients
- It makes a wonderful homemade gift for the holidays
Ingredient Notes for Gingerbread Cake
Flour: Use all purpose flour, ideally the equivalent of French T55. Sift it to avoid lumps and to keep the batter smooth.
You can also adjust the flour depending on the texture you want:
For a denser gingerbread, use a slightly higher protein flour, similar to T65 or T110.
For a more rustic gingerbread, try one of these blends:
- 150 g whole wheat flour (5.3 oz) plus 100 g spelt flour (3.5 oz)
- or 100 g whole wheat flour (3.5 oz) plus 100 g rye flour (3.5 oz) and 50 g chestnut flour (1.8 oz)
Honey: Choose a good quality honey, preferably liquid. The flavor of the honey will strongly affect the final taste, so use one you enjoy. Dark honey works especially well and also gives the gingerbread a deeper color.
Sugar: I used regular granulated sugar and reduced the amount from 150 g (5.3 oz) to 100 g (3.5 oz). You can also use a mix of white sugar and brown sugar for extra depth of flavor.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is the leavening agent in this recipe. Make sure it is fresh for the best rise. Stick to the exact amount, as too much baking soda can ruin the flavor and texture. There is no need to add baking powder.
Gingerbread Spices: You can use a ready made spice blend, often called four spice mix in France, such as the one from Ducros. You can also use pumpkin spice, the same blend commonly used for pumpkin pie.
Alternatively, you can make your own blend by combining cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Adjust the quantities to suit your taste. Traditionally, only one teaspoon is used, but I prefer a more generously spiced gingerbread. I also like to add extra spices such as cardamom and star anise for more depth.
Salt: Salt helps balance the flavors and enhance the aromas. Use fine salt.
Ingredients
Note: You can find the printable recipe card at the end of the article.
For a 22 to 23 cm loaf pan (about 9 inches)
- 250 g all purpose flour (8.8 oz)
- 180 g honey (6.3 oz), use a dark honey
- 100 g sugar (3.5 oz)
- 100 g unsalted butter (3.5 oz)
- 150 ml orange juice, no pulp (5 fl oz)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix (about 4 g). You can use less for a milder flavor
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 pinch of salt
Note: You can find the measurements for a 26 cm (10 inch) pan in the printable recipe card at the end of the article. In the photos, the sliced gingerbread is the 26 cm (10 inch) version, while the one in the background is the 23 cm (9 inch) loaf.
Preparation Steps
It is not necessary to preheat the oven.
1. In a saucepan, gently heat the honey with the butter and half of the orange juice until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
2. Remove from the heat, add the remaining orange juice, and let it cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, gingerbread spices, and salt.
4. Pour the warm honey butter and orange juice mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing gently in a circular motion from the center outward. Do not whisk.
5. You should end up with a smooth, lump free batter. Do not try to lighten the batter by whisking it.
6. Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan. Lining the pan is optional, but I prefer to do it for easy unmolding and better storage.
7. Turn the oven on to 165 °C (330 °F, conventional bake) and place the pan in the oven immediately. Bake for about 1 hour, depending on your oven. The 26 cm loaf took about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of the gingerbread. It should come out clean.
8. Let the gingerbread cool slightly, then unmold it onto a wire rack.
9. Once it is just warm, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
10. Enjoy once completely cooled. It tastes even better the next day and continues to improve over the following days.
11. Brush the top with a little warm honey if you want to decorate it with candied orange slices and star anise.
It keeps very well at room temperature for about ten days.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Cramique – raisin brioche bread
Easy Moist Eggless Gingerbread Cake
INGREDIENTS
For a 22 to 23 cm loaf pan (about 9 inches)
- 250 g all purpose flour
- 180 g honey use a dark honey
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 150 ml orange juice no pulp
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix about 4 g. You can use less for a milder flavor
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract optional
- 1 pinch of salt
For a 26 cm loaf pan (about 10 inches)
- 375 g all purpose flour
- 270 g honey use a dark honey
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 225 ml orange juice no pulp
- 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix about 6 g. You can use less for a milder flavor
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon optional
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger optional
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla powder or vanilla extract optional
- 1 pinch of salt
PREPARATION
- It is not necessary to preheat the oven.
- In a saucepan, gently heat the honey with the butter and half of the orange juice until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Remove from the heat, add the remaining orange juice, and let it cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, gingerbread spices, and salt.
- Pour the warm honey butter and orange juice mixture into the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing gently in a circular motion from the center outward. Do not whisk.
- You should end up with a smooth, lump free batter. Do not try to lighten the batter by whisking it.
- Pour the batter into a greased and lined loaf pan. Lining the pan is optional, but I prefer to do it for easy unmolding and better storage.
- Turn the oven on to 165 °C (330 °F, conventional bake) and place the pan in the oven immediately. Bake for about 1 hour, depending on your oven. The 26 cm loaf took about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center of the gingerbread. It should come out clean.
- Let the gingerbread cool slightly, then unmold it onto a wire rack.
- Once it is just warm, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.
- Enjoy once completely cooled. It tastes even better the next day and continues to improve over the following days.
- Brush the top with a little warm honey if you want to decorate it with candied orange slices and star anise.
- It keeps very well at room temperature for about ten days.
Thank you for visiting my baking and for your comments.