Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Prep and oven

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan or a 9-inch round pan and line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Cream butter and sugar

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Add egg & molasses

Beat in 1 large egg until incorporated, then mix in 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses and 1 tsp vanilla extract until smooth.

Combine and thin batter

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with 1/2 cup hot water (begin and end with dry). Mix just until combined and no streaks of flour remain; batter will be somewhat loose and pourable.

Bake

Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake in preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (do not overbake).

Cool

Allow cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack to cool briefly 10–15 minutes more. The cake should be warm when serving under the ice cream — serve while still slightly warm or reheat gently if fully cooled.

Make sauce

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan combine 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1 tbsp light corn syrup, and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.

Simmer and finish

Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Keep warm; sauce will thicken more as it cools. If it becomes too thick, whisk in a tablespoon of warm cream or water to loosen.

Toast nuts (optional)

If hazelnuts still have skins or you prefer extra aroma, toast 1 cup hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes until fragrant. Rub between a clean kitchen towel to remove loose skins. Let cool slightly.

Candy nuts

In a medium nonstick skillet or small saucepan combine 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and let the sugar syrup bubble gently until it turns a light golden amber (watch carefully to avoid burning).

Coat and spice

Immediately add the toasted hazelnuts to the syrup and stir to coat. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/8 tsp ground ginger and 1/8 tsp fine sea salt over the nuts and toss quickly. Turn the nuts out onto a parchment-lined sheet and separate with a spatula. If using, toss with 1 tsp unsalted butter while still hot for a glossy finish. Let cool completely; nuts will crisp as they cool.

Slice warm gingerbread into 4 generous portions. Place one portion on each dessert plate. Top each warm slice with 1 scoop of French vanilla ice cream (or two small scoops if preferred).

Drizzle about 2–3 tablespoons warm English Toffee Sauce over each cake and ice cream serving. Scatter a small handful (about 2 tablespoons) of spiced candied hazelnuts over the top and around the plate for crunch.

If desired, dust lightly with powdered sugar and serve immediately while cake and sauce are warm and ice cream is cold for contrast.