Easy homemade pudding cake! This Gingerbread Pudding Cake is a moist apple gingerbread cake that makes its own caramel apple sauce while it bakes.
Gingerbread is a classic at the holidays for a reason! There’s just something about the combination of the warm spices, moist cake, and molasses that is so homey and comforting.
This gingerbread pudding cake is really easy to make. The oven does a lot of the work for you.
Just add the topping ingredients, and, like magic, it forms a sauce underneath the cake as it bakes. Serve it topped with a little whipped cream for some extra deliciousness.
Ingredients and substitutions
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Molasses – I like to use robust molasses for stronger flavor, but regular molasses or mild molasses will also work.
- Unsweetened applesauce – The applesauce should be a smooth puree, not a chunkier sauce.
- Vegetable oil – A similar neutral oil, like canola or even olive oil, will work.
- Milk – Any milk – skim to whole – will work.
- Vanilla extract
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Apple cider – Either refrigerated fresh cider or bottled shelf-stable apple cider will work. I try to use fresh cider when available.
- Water
How to make gingerbread pudding cake
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices. Set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, oil, molasses, and vanilla together until well-combined.
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until combined. Pour batter into an 8×11-inch (shallow 2 quart), or similarly sized, baking dish.
In a separate bowl, stir sugars and cinnamon together. Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter.
Pour apple cider and water over the topping. DO NOT STIR!
Bake for 40 minutes, or until middle is set. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Serving suggestions
Gingerbread pudding cake is delicious all on its own. The cake can be topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream.
Add a few toasted pecans for a little texture and crunch!
More gingerbread recipes!
More pudding cake recipes!
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Gingerbread Pudding Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup apple cider not apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and spices. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, oil, molasses, and vanilla together until well-combined.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until combined.
- Pour batter into an 8×11-inch (shallow 2 quart), or similarly sized, baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, stir sugars and cinnamon together.
- Sprinkle topping evenly over the batter.
- Pour apple cider and water over the topping. DO NOT STIR!
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until middle is set.
- Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Molasses – I like to use robust molasses for stronger flavor, but regular molasses or mild molasses will also work.
- Unsweetened applesauce – The applesauce should be a smooth puree, not a chunkier sauce.
- Vegetable oil – A similar neutral oil, like canola or even olive oil, will work.
- Milk – Any milk – skim to whole – will work.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work.
- Apple cider – Either refrigerated fresh cider or bottled shelf-stable apple cider will work. I try to use fresh cider when available.
- Nutrition values are estimates.Â
Nutrition
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Originally posted 11/2/17. Updated with additional photos and information on 12/14/21.
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Comments & Reviews
Cynthia says
Is there a dairy free option…ok to use coconut milk in place of milk?
Kate says
Yes, you can use a dairy-free milk, like almond milk, instead of using dairy milk.
Holmes Courtney says
Can I bake this in advance and reheat?
Kate says
Sure!