Can you make this gingerbread cake with another type of flour?

As I wanted this recipe to be made specifically with almond flour, it hasn't been tested with any other type of flour. If you're looking for a gingerbread cake made with wheat flour, I highly recommend this easy gingerbread cake recipe.

Can you use almond meal instead of almond flour?

While both almond flour and almond meal are made from raw ground almonds, I don't use them interchangeably. Almond flour is made with blanched almonds (with the skins removed) and is finely ground. Almond meal is made with almonds that have the skins left on so it has a coarser texture. For the best cake texture, I recommend finely ground blanched almond flour.

Can you make this gingerbread cake recipe vegan?

While this cake is dairy-free, in order to make it vegan, you would need to replace the eggs with a vegan substitute. I haven’t tested this so I'm not sure if the cake would have the same rise or texture.

Can you use a different size pan for this cake recipe?

This cake bakes best in an 8x2-inch square pan. You can use a 9-inch square, but your cake will not be as tall and you'll need to reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes. I tested this cake in an 8x2-inch round cake pan, and it sank in the middle ever so slightly. So, it's probably just a little too much batter for the pan. If you have an 8×3 inch round cake pan or a 9×2 inch round pan, those should work okay for this recipe as long as you adjust the baking time. I haven't tested this cake in a loaf pan, but it could work in a 9x5 inch loaf pan. You'll just need to increase the baking time.

Why did my cake sink in the middle?

This usually happens when your cake pan is too small for the amount of batter in the recipe. This cake was made in an 8x2-inch square pan. If you use a smaller pan, your cake may sink in the middle. A sunken cake may also be caused by under-baking. Ovens can vary so always be sure to insert a toothpick into the center of the cake to check for doneness. Be careful, however, not to check on the cake too soon. Opening the oven door too early and letting cooler air into the oven may also cause the cake to deflate.

Almond Flour Gingerbread Cake

Description

Almond Flour Gingerbread Cake is filled with warm and cozy spices and rich molasses flavor. It’s naturally gluten-free with a dairy-free spiced cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups (260g) fine blanched almond flour
1/4 cup (40g) coconut sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup (85g) fancy molasses
1/4 cup (60ml) maple syrup
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting:

4 ounces (113g) plant-based cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (56g) plant-based butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted (plus more, if necessary)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8×2 inch square pan and line it with slightly overhanging parchment paper.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder and salt.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, molasses, maple syrup, oil and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to stir until just combined.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth out the top with an offset spatula.
Bake for 29-32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, add the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg to a mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to cream together. Gradually add the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Spread the frosting onto the cooled cake. Slice and serve, or store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

For the best texture, make sure you are using fine blanched almond flour and not almond meal.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale to weigh your flour, be sure to measure it using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup.
In my experience, plant-based butters and cream cheeses don’t need a lot of time to soften at room temperature compared to dairy versions.
Some plant-based cream cheeses may not even need to be left at room temperature. If the variety you’re using seems soft, just skip the step of bringing it to room temperature.
When using plant-based butter for frostings, I prefer baking sticks or blocks over the spreadable kind.
For a thicker and sweeter cream cheese frosting, just add more powdered sugar.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.