Description
This Gingerbread Pudding Cake is a cozy, spiced dessert that combines a moist gingerbread cake base with a luscious pudding topping baked to perfection. Featuring traditional warm spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, it offers a delightful contrast between a fluffy cake and a rich, buttery pudding layer. Ideal for holiday gatherings or any time you crave a comforting treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 large egg
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
Pudding
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ cup hot water
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8″ or 9″ square baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and kosher salt. Set this mixture aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the molasses, milk, and egg until smooth. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, using a mixer or by hand, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take a few minutes.
- Combine Ingredients: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the wet molasses mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing on low speed just until everything is blended. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan. If using ramekins, evenly portion a heaping ¼-cup of batter into each ramekin placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Prepare Pudding Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix the light brown sugar and cornstarch. Warm the hot water and butter together just until the butter melts. Gradually whisk this warm liquid into the brown sugar and cornstarch mixture until smooth.
- Pour Pudding Layer: Slowly and carefully pour the pudding mixture over the cake batter in the pan to form a distinct pudding layer on top. If using ramekins, spoon a scant ¼ cup of pudding mixture over each ramekin filled with batter.
- Bake: Place the pan or ramekins in the preheated oven and bake for 38 to 42 minutes. The pudding cake is done when a toothpick inserted just into the top cake layer comes out clean without wet batter (do not poke through to the pudding layer).
- Serve Warm: Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve the gingerbread pudding cake warm to enjoy the contrast of textures and flavors at their best.
Notes
- Use room temperature milk to help the batter mix evenly and for a better cake texture.
- Be careful not to poke a toothpick all the way through the cake to the pudding layer when checking doneness.
- The recipe can be made in individual ramekins for easy portioning and presentation.
- A gluten free flour blend can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour for gluten free needs.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for extra indulgence.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/9 of cake)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
