Gingerbread Pudding Cake

By Becky Hardin

Updated Mar 19, 2025

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My Gingerbread Pudding Cake is such a delightful and easy Christmas dessert! It is gooey on the inside, caramelized on the outside, and full of warm spices and flavors. I enjoy it warm with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream for an irresistible treat.

Easy Gingerbread Pudding Cake Recipe

This Gingerbread Cake Recipe is loaded with molasses, warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger — it tastes just like Christmas. We call it Gingerbread Pudding Cake because of its slightly gooey center. The edges and top are soaked in butter and brown sugar mixture, so they caramelize as they cook, creating the most amazing texture and flavor!

Recipe Card

Gingerbread Pudding Cake Recipe

4.79 from 32 votes

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 50 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Becky Hardin

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Gingerbread Pudding Cake is such a delightful and easy Christmas dessert recipe! This pudding cake is gooey on the inside, caramelized on the outside, and full of warm spices and flavors. This Gingerbread Pudding Cake Recipe is the ultimate crowd pleaser!

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Equipment

• Kitchen Scale (optional)
• 9×13 Baking Pan
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup unsulphured molasses 170 grams
• ▢ 1 cup water 227 grams
• ▢ ¼ cup salted butter 57 grams, room temperature (½ stick)
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
• ▢ 1 large egg white 35 grams, room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
• ▢ 1¼ cups all purpose flour 170 grams
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ½ cup honey roasted pecans 63 grams
• ▢ 6 tablespoons brown sugar 80 grams
• ▢ Pinch coarse sea salt optional, for garnish
• ▢ ¾ cup hot water 170 grams (200°F)
• ▢ ⅔ cup salted butter 151 grams, melted (1⅓ sticks)
• ▢ vanilla bean ice cream optional, for serving

Video

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.
• Mix the molasses with 1 cup water.
  ½ cup unsulphured molasses, 1 cup water
  
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, for about 1-2 minutes.
  ¼ cup salted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar
  
• Add in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
  1 large egg white, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• Pour in the molasses mixture and stir.
  
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, and all spices.
  1¼ cups all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  
• Add the flour mixture into the molasses mixture, beating well to fully combine. Stir in the pecans.
  ½ cup honey roasted pecans
  
• Pour mixture into baking dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar.*
  6 tablespoons brown sugar
• Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt (just a little bit).
  Pinch coarse sea salt
• Mix hot water with melted butter with a fork. Pour over the cake batter, but do not stir.
  ¾ cup hot water, ⅔ cup salted butter
  
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until cracked on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Serve warm topped with vanilla bean ice cream, if desired.
  vanilla bean ice cream

Becky’s Tips

*To make in a slow cooker, pour into slow cooker instead of baking dish. Finish remaining steps. Cook on high for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving and topping with ice cream.

Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 3gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 290mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 523IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Gingerbread Pudding Cake Step by Step

Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside.

Prepare the wet ingredients: Mix ½ cup unsulphured molasses with 1 cup water.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the ¼ cup of salted butter with ¼ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, for about 1-2 minutes.

Add in 1 large egg white and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract until smooth.

To this pour in the molasses mixture and stir.

Combine all dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together 1¼ cups all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon of baking soda, ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture into the molasses mixture, beating well to fully combine. Stir in ½ cup of honey roasted pecans.

Bake and serve: Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle with 6 tablespoons brown sugar. Sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt (just a little bit).

Mix ¾ cup hot water with ⅔ cup salted butter with a fork. Pour over the cake batter, but do not stir.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until cracked on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve warm with vanilla bean ice cream, if desired.

How to Store

Store gingerbread pudding cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze it. Once the cake cools to room temperature, portion it out and transfer to a freezer-friendly storage bags and freeze for up to one month. When ready, thaw overnight, warm it in microwave and top it with ice cream.

Serving Suggestions

You can make this delicious cake anytime of year. My Iced Mocha or Iced Coffee perfectly balances out the gingerbread flavors. If serving this during the holidays, I love to pair it with Spiced Apple Cider or Holiday Sangria.

Don’t forget to drizzle some Homemade Caramel Sauce for an extra indulgence!

more holiday recipes you’ll love

Crockpot Gingerbread Latte

Gingerbread House White Chocolate Bark Recipe (Christmas Bark)

Gingerbread Martini

Gingerbread Kiss Cookies