Gluten Free Vegan Gingerbread Loaf Cake

This Gluten Free Vegan Gingerbread Loaf is definitely a crowd-pleaser and is perfect for holiday desserts or breakfasts. With this recipe, you get all the great flavor of gingerbread men without all of the work! The lemon glaze topping is made with fresh lemon juice and gives it a bright flavor.

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gluten free vegan gingerbread loaf cake

This gluten free gingerbread cake is sure to become a holiday staple in your home as the ground cinnamon, ground ginger, molasses, and brown sugar ingredients used in this recipe boast an amazing flavor that is reminiscent of Christmas time that everyone is sure to love.

Plus, since you will be using King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix to make this December delight, your gluten-sensitive family members can enjoy it as well. This recipe is also vegan which means your dairy free family and friends won’t be left out either.  Egg allergy?  No problem we have you covered.

How to Serve Vegan Gluten Free Gingerbread Loaf Cake

This gingerbread loaf is best served warm right out of the oven but it also tastes great at room temperature or even chilled. You can really eat it at any time of the day as well as it’s perfect for breakfast, an after-dinner dessert, or even a sweet treat for an afternoon snack.  This is probably the easiest gluten free gingerbread loaf recipe around.

gingerbread cake gluten and dairy free

Since this cake tastes so much like traditional gingerbread men but better, a fun idea would be to decorate this cake with your children, just like you would decorate a traditional gingerbread house. You could frost the cake with a dairy free cream cheese frosting and add piped icing or sprinkles. You could even add some powdered sugar to resemble snow. It is always so much fun for kids to be able to eat something delicious that they helped to make.

If you have any winter birthdays among your family or friends, this gingerbread cake would also be super fun to make and decorate as a non-traditional birthday cake!

How to Make Gingerbread Cake Gluten and Dairy Free

Okay first things first, let’s talk about how we make this gingerbread cake gluten and dairy free.  I’ve been at this game for a very long time, so I have all of my tried and trued replacements for traditional ingredients at my disposal.

My tried and true favorite is King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix.  I seriously use it in everything I bake, and have never had a complaint…and I regularly feed this stuff to people who normally eat gluten!

Next up is making this cake dairy free.  Coconut oil is my go to for most baking needs, full stop.  This cake uses water instead of milk, so that’s also an easy switch.

Finally, remember, this will be a wetter batter batter, but don’t sweat it!  I mention this because sometimes people freak out when they are baking something gluten free, dairy free, or vegan for the first time.

dairy free gingerbread cake

Start with baking this cake for 35 minutes, but your oven may vary.  Be sure to check for doneness with a toothpick!  You want your toothpick to come out of your car cleanly.

Other Gluten Free and Vegan Holiday Recipes

Want to make your holidays stress free as possible?  Me too!  Here are some easy, gluten free and dairy free recipes that will make things a bit easier, no matter what diet you or your family follow.

Gluten Free Dairy Free Gingerbread Loaf Cake {Vegan}

gluten free gingerbread loaf recipe

Love the taste of gingerbread around the holidays, but just don't have the time? This Gluten Free Dairy Free Gingerbread Loaf Cake is also Vegan and fits the bill.
It is great for a holiday breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Additional Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the Cake:
  • 2 cups King Arthur Gluten Free Baking Mix
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup
  • 1/2 cup soft but not liquid coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • For the Lemon Glaze:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1⁄4 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt together until combined.
    3. In a separate bowl, whisk the molasses and hot water together.
    4. Mix coconut oil and brown sugar until well combined. You may want to use a hand mixer or stand mixer. Be careful not to mix too long as coconut oil tends to melt fast if it is worked with. Add applesauce and vanilla once mixed.
    5. You will be alternating adding the dry ingredients and the hot water and molasses mixture. First, mix in half of the dry ingredients.
    6. Add the molasses and water mixture, and stir until just combined.
    7. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. This will be a thin batter!
    8. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the cake is baked through. All ovens are different and your cake could take a little more or less time. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean with only a couple moist (not wet) crumbs, it is done.
    9. Allow cake to cool a bit in the pan set on a wire rack.
    10. To mak the the lemon glaze: Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice in a bowl.
    11. Pour the lemong glaze over the cake while it is still warm. Be sure to spread the mixture around with a spatula to ensure even distribution.
    12. For extra crunch, sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar ovr the icing.
    13. Allow to cool complreyly before serving.

Notes

Be sure to let this cake cool completely before serving to make the most out of the lemon glaze and give it time to solidify.


Not a fan of lemon? You can make the same exact glaze with oranges instead for a unique spin on this.

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