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Gingerbread Coffee Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 116 reviews

This Gingerbread Coffee Cake blends warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a moist, tender cake topped with a crumbly cinnamon streusel. Perfect for holiday breakfasts or cozy coffee breaks, it offers a flavorful twist on a classic coffee cake with a rich molasses base and a sweet powdered sugar finish.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Optional Topping:

  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the cake.
  2. Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. This step ensures the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
  3. Cream the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then add the molasses, eggs, and buttermilk, mixing until you have a smooth, homogenous batter.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender and light in texture.
  5. Make the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture becomes crumbly, perfect for sprinkling on top of the cake batter.
  6. Assemble and Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a cooling rack. Before serving, dust the top with powdered sugar for an elegant finish and extra sweetness.

Notes

  • Measure your spices carefully to avoid overpowering the gingerbread flavor.
  • Use room temperature butter and eggs for better mixing and a smoother batter.
  • Use melted butter in the streusel for a crumbly, easy-to-sprinkle topping.
  • Do not overmix the batter once wet and dry ingredients are combined to maintain tenderness.
  • Kids can help sprinkle the streusel topping for a fun baking activity.
  • Substitute buttermilk with regular milk plus 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes if needed.
  • You can add 1/2 cup chopped nuts or raisins to the batter for extra texture.
  • Optionally, drizzle a vanilla glaze instead of dusting powdered sugar for variety.
  • The cake can be baked the night before and stored tightly covered at room temperature.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze individual slices up to 2 months.

Keywords: Gingerbread Coffee Cake, spicy coffee cake, holiday cake, streusel topping, molasses cake, baked coffee cake

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/gingerbread-coffee-cake-recipe/