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Gingerbread Coffee Cake

Gingerbread Coffee Cake

This gingerbread coffee cake proves that a genuinely impressive holiday breakfast needs nothing beyond molasses, warm spices, and a generous crumb topping. This gingerbread coffee cake recipe layers a spiced, tender crumb over a moist molasses base, delivering everything a proper christmas gingerbread coffee cake should taste like. Whether served for a lazy holiday morning or sliced as an evening dessert, this gingerbread crumb cake earns a permanent spot in the seasonal baking rotation.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Breakfast, Coffee Cake
Cuisine: American
Calories: 518
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter (melted)
  • ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar (packed)
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 3/4 cups (200 g) cake flour
  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 3/4 cup (183 g) unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup (168.5 g) molasses
  • ⅓ cup (82 g) buttermilk (room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Equipment

  • stand mixer
  • 8x8-inch baking dish
  • Medium bowls

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, allowing the paper to overhang the sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. To a medium bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine.
  3. Add the cake flour and stir until the mixture is completely combined. Be careful not to overmix. Set aside.
  4. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Mix on low speed until combined.
  5. Add cold cubed butter and mix on medium-low speed until the butter is broken down into small, pea-sized pieces. You can also use a pastry cutter or your hands to work in the butter.
  6. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, molasses, buttermilk, and maple syrup until smooth.
  7. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. The batter will be slightly chunky, and that’s okay. Beat for about 2 minutes, just until combined.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
  9. Using your hands or a fork, break the prepared crumb topping into small pieces. Evenly distribute it over the cake batter.
  10. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
  11. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving

Recipe Notes

Molasses: I always use real molasses for the signature dark flavor.
Cake flour: I use this in the topping, or a homemade substitute if needed.
Buttermilk: I use real buttermilk or a quick DIY version.
Cooling: I let the cake cool a full 20 minutes before slicing.
Storage: I keep this in an airtight container to protect the crumb topping.