Description

This Gingerbread Coffee Cake combines the warm, spicy flavors of gingerbread spices with a moist, tender crumb cake base, topped with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar crumb topping. Perfect for a cozy afternoon treat or holiday breakfast, this cake blends molasses, warm spices, and a touch of maple syrup for a rich, flavorful coffee cake experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Crumb Topping

½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted
⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (67 g) light brown sugar, packed
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¾ cups (200 g) cake flour

Cake Batter

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 large egg, room temperature
¾ cup (183 g) unsweetened applesauce
½ cup (168.5 g) molasses
⅓ cup (82 g) buttermilk, room temperature
¼ cup pure maple syrup

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, letting it overhang the sides for easy removal. Spray the parchment with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Make Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add in the cake flour and stir gently until the mixture is completely combined and crumbly. Be careful not to overmix. Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients for Cake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Mix on low speed until evenly combined.
Add Cold Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium-low speed until the butter is broken down into small, pea-sized pieces. Alternatively, you can use a pastry cutter or your hands to incorporate the butter.
Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg, applesauce, molasses, buttermilk, and pure maple syrup until smooth.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. The batter will have some chunks — this is normal. Beat for about 2 minutes until just combined.
Pour Batter into Baking Dish: Transfer the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
Add Crumb Topping: Break up the crumb topping mixture into small pieces using your hands or a fork. Evenly distribute the crumbs over the cake batter.
Bake the Cake: Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the crumb topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving to allow flavors to set.

Notes

You can substitute the applesauce with an equal amount of mashed ripe banana if desired.
Make sure the butter used in the crumb topping is melted, while the butter in the cake batter is cold for proper texture.
Check doneness at 40 minutes as oven times vary; the cake should be moist but not wet inside.
Allow the cake to cool sufficiently to firm up the crumb topping for easier slicing.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Gingerbread coffee cake, crumb topping cake, molasses cake, holiday coffee cake, spiced cake