Can you imagine a fall baking season without a Gingerbread Cake! Me neither!
Wacky Gingerbread Cake and no fridge cream cheese icing!
And Bonus: No weird egg replacers or obscure ingredients here!
For those having a hard time finding vegan cream cheese like me,
Or worse having it all turn into cream cheese soup the minute you give it a stir!
Introducing a life hack that is going to have you jumping for joy! Shelf stable, no refrigeration Cream Cheese Icing recipe!
By adding vegan lactic acid to your favorite buttercream recipe, you have instant cream cheese icing!
There’s need to refrigerate this cake since we are not using vegan cream cheese!
But let me just say that cold gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing tastes just like a super fudge gingerbread cheesecake brownie!
You’re welcome 🙂
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE!
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Notes for Success:
I am baking this recipe in an 8″ x 8″ square pan for 1 single layer to serve 9 people
Double the recipe for a 9″ x 13″ pan, or a 6-cup capacity Bundt Pan
This recipe also bakes into loaf cakes, and 8″ round layers and 12 cupcakes too, however this recipe will not dome up instead the layers * cupcakes stay completely flat
I know many people cannot get molasses which is essential in any gingerbread recipe since it’s not just a sweetener
But the deep rich robust flavor it imparts is what makes it all taste so darned good!
If you cannot get molasses you can substitute any other liquid sugar like Golden Syrup, Maple Syrup or even dark corn syrup will do.
Just remember sadly, that the taste will not be the true authentic gingerbread molasses experience.
You will notice I add a spot of cocoa powder to my gingerbread cake recipe
Actually I add cocoa powder to my gingerbread cookies recipe too!
This is optional, if you decide to leave it out just replace with a scant tablespoon of more flour
But you should really try it! You won’t go back!
Wacky Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake Batter:
- Vegetable Oil 1/3 cup (78ml)
- Light Brown Sugar ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (132g)
- Flax Meal 1 Tablespoon (8g)
- Hot Water 3 Tablespoons (45ml)
- Water 1/3 cup (78ml)
- Molasses ½ cup (118ml) *see notes
- Baking Soda ½ teaspoon
- Baking Powder ½ teaspoon
- Salt ½ teaspoon
- Ground Ginger 1½ teaspoons
- Ground Cinnamon ¾ teaspoon
- Ground Cloves 1/8 teaspoon
- All Purpose Flour 1¼ cups (218g)
- Natural Cocoa Powder 1 Tablespoon (8g) *see notes
For the Cream Cheese Icing "hack"
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F
- Grease & parchment line an 8" x 8" cake pan
- Combine the flax meal with the first measure of hot water in a small bowl and whisk to combine, let stand for 5 minutes to thicken to a paste.
- In a large bowl combine the light brown sugar with the oil and then add the thickened flax paste
- Add the other measure of water and the molasses and whisk smooth
- Sift the flour with the cocoa powder, spices, salt, and the baking powder & soda
- Add to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl all at once and whisk to a smooth batter
- Pour into your prepared pan(s) and bake immediately in a preheat3ed 325°F oven for approximately 30-35 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not raw batter
- *It's hard to say how long to bake because it depends what size pans you are using, but the 8" x 8" baked in approximately 30 minutes
- *cupcakes would most likely take 25 minutes, but I like to check at 20 minutes to be sure
- While the cakes are cooling prepare the shelf stable cream cheese icing recipe as per the recipe on that page
- You can also use your favorite buttercream recipe instead if you prefer
Notes
Gingerbread cake does not have to be refrigerated and will stay fresh for up to 4 days at room temperature loosely covered.
For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 week (7days) or freeze wrapped well for up to 2 months
I’m excited to try this! What would you recommend the ratio of all spice would be in exchange for the fresh ground spices in the recipe? (Blasphemous I know). Love you woman! Keep up the amazing work!
LOL Hi Tiffany~ thanks!. If you mean Pumpkin Pie Spice? I usually just add up *roughly* the total amount of separate spices then use that equal amount in PPSpice
But for gingerbread cakes my spices are slightly different, for a bit more “bite” obviously heavy in the ginger for gingerbread anything and more clove compared to a Pumpkin Pie Spice where it’s heavy on cinnamon and light on all the rest, but hey YOU DO YOU! 😀
Hi Gretchen!
I just have liquid lactic acid, would it work? Thank you!
yes
Hi! Great recipe!
I’m in dire need of a vegan cream cheese glaze recipe for donuts, brownies etc., and I’m on a time crunch because my family member is going through a severe illness.
I’ve been experimenting with an apple cider vinegar and lemon juice combo, but haven’t been able to get that cream cheese flavor in a glaze like I have in a frosting. My ratios must be off.
I need the glaze to be shelf stable, so I’m trying to do it with water (no milks), powdered sugar, maybe vanilla extract ?, and whatever other ingredients you think would give it that cream cheese flavor. I can purchase a vegan lactic acid powder if you think that would work, but I need a recipe that will mimic that flavor very well without using any other allergens or crazy ingredients.
If you can give me a recipe or an idea of how much lactic acid powder to use. Is that all I need to add to a regular vanilla glaze recipe or do I have to combine the lactic acid with something else?
Thanks so much!
Hi Yes! I have made a separate recipe post for the no cream cheese ~ Cream Cheese icing, CLICK HERE
Thank you SO SO much, but I’m looking to make a thin, pourable or dipping glaze for donuts.
Do you think adding the lactic acid to a vanilla glaze recipe (water, powdered sugar, & vanilla) produce the same cream cheese flavor?
Waiting for your reply… You’re the best!
I am diabetic on a low carb no sugar diet.would these recipes work to do some ingredient swapping
For recipes that do not require creaming of butter & sugar then YES! For example this cake recipe would work great with a diabetic sugar since it is a straight up “liquids into wet mix”
As for the low carb..I am assuming you mean to swap out the flour with something else?
In that case it is not so easy and you may do better to look at tried & true Keto recipes
Have you tried with gluten free flour?
Hey sorry for the late reply I have been without electricity for the last 5 days. Not sure when this message was sent, but no I have not tried GF flour here sorry