Julie Clark
Posted:
Sugar Crunch Gingerbread Cake
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The sugar crunch gingerbread cake is the Christmas version of our viral sugar crunch cake series! It’s a soft, moist molasses cake with warm gingerbread spices, topped with our signature crackly sugar topping. No frosting needed.
We’ve made these cakes with everything from fresh berries to pumpkin and chocolate chips, but this gingerbread version is my favorite during the holiday season.
You Asked for More Sugar Crunch Cakes!
What started with our red white and blueberry cake turned into a whole collection here at Tastes of Lizzy T. Every time we share a flavor, you give ideas for our next version!
Every year we make gingerbread houses and although I didn’t grow up with the flavor, I have come to LOVE gingerbread spices and molasses.
I tested this cake 3-4 times during a week and it was hard not to eat too much! I took extra slices to a church dinner and used it in the cake layer of our gingerbread trifle. Friends loved it so much!
If you love gingerbread with frosting, try our gingerbread sheet cake with molasses. Or try our old fashioned gingerbread crumb cake.
How Does This Cake Get Its Signature Sugar Crunch?
The signature crunch comes from granulated sugar and bit of hot water sprinkled over the cake batter before baking. As the cake bakes, the sugar forms a thin, crackly thin sugar crust over the soft gingerbread.
I used this technique in our original sugar crunch cake, pumpkin sugar crunch cake and cranberry orange cake. This time, the sugar adds a sweet contrast to the deep, rich molasses.
🥣 Julie’s Tip: Don’t stir the topping sugar into the batter. Sprinkle it evenly over the surface so it can form that signature crust as the cake bakes.
What Ingredients Make This Gingerbread Cake Moist?
Molasses gives this cake its traditional gingerbread flavor, while sour cream and butter help create a rich, tender crumb.
- Molasses: Use regular unsulphured molasses for a classic gingerbread flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses, which has a much stronger, more bitter taste.
- Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture and richness without making the cake overly heavy. Whole milk Greek yogurt works in a pinch.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and a deeper flavor that pairs well with molasses.
- Ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon: Give the cake its warm, spiced flavor.
- Granulated sugar: Creates the crisp topping. Don’t mix the topping sugar into the batter.
Sugar Crunch Gingerbread Cake
This sugar crunch gingerbread cake combines a soft, moist molasses spice cake with a thin, crackly cinnamon-sugar topping. It's an easy homemade Christmas cake with all the warm gingerbread flavor you love, but no frosting or decorating needed.
Servings 8
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup unsulphured molasses not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
For the ugar crunch topping:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line with parchment paper if you prefer.
- Cream the softened butter, brown sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. ½ cup salted butter, ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Mix in the molasses and vanilla extract until combined. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is fine. 2 large eggs, ⅔ cup unsulphured molasses, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Mix until barely combined, then gently fold in the sour cream and finish mixing. Do not overmix. 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour , 1¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¾ cup full-fat sour cream
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the batter. Drizzle the hot water over the sugar, trying to moisten as much of the surface as possible. 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons hot water
- Bake for approximately 38 to 40 minutes, or until the center tests with a few moist crumbs. The top should look set and slightly glossy.
- Allow the cake to cool before slicing so the sugar topping has time to firm up.
Notes
Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the cake being cut into 8 pieces, with 1 serving being 1 slice of cake. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 310mg | Potassium: 568mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 558IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 133mg | Iron: 3mg
