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A slice of gingerbread cake with lemon sauce on a white plate, two forks beside it. A baking dish with more cake is in the background.

Gingerbread Cake with Warm Lemon Sauce

This soft gingerbread can be served on its own or with a light dusting of powdered sugar — but the addition of a warm, tart-sweet lemon sauce takes it to new heights.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Dessert, Holiday Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8
Calories 475 kcal

Ingredients
  

Gingerbread

  • Vegetable oil spray for prepping the pan
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil OR 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sorghum or molasses
  • 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves or nutmeg, or both
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup hot water

Warm Lemon Sauce

  • 8 tbsp (1 stick/114 grams) salted butter if using unsalted, add 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar 
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest 
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice from 1 extra-large lemon or 2 medium lemons

Instructions
 

Gingerbread

  • Heat the oven to 350oF, with a rack in the middle. Mist a 7-by-11-inch glass dish (or a 9-inch square or 9-inch springform) with vegetable oil spray and set aside. 
  • Place the sugar and oil (or combination of oil and applesauce) in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed (or by hand) until combined, 30 seconds. Add the eggs and sorghum or molasses and beat until the eggs are well combined, 1 minute more. 
  • Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves (and/or nutmeg, if you like), and salt in a medium bowl. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Stir the flour mixture into the batter alternately with the hot water, blending until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. 
  • Bake until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm with Warm Lemon Sauce. 

Warm Lemon Sauce

  • Place the butter in a medium heavy saucepan and let it melt over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar, lightly beaten egg, water, lemon zest, and lemon juice. 
  • Return the pan to low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles appear around the edges of the pan, 7 to 8 minutes. Serve at once. 

Nutrition

Calories: 475kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 7gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 468mgPotassium: 118mgFiber: 2gSugar: 50gVitamin A: 441IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Cake, Gingerbread
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