Old-Fashioned Gingerbread {Moist and Delicious}

Easy and flavorful old-fashioned gingerbread, perfect for any occasion. The ideal blend of spices and a recipe that anyone can make.

So moist, and plenty of spices. This is a classic recipe done right.

Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Moist and perfectly spiced, this gingerbread comes together fast and will make your whole home smell like the holidays.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Serving Size

Prep. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 11 by 7-inch baking dish by spraying with nonstick spray.
Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl
Mix wet ingredients. Beat the oil, molasses, sugar, milk, and egg in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed.
Combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix at medium speed until the batter is smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.
Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top springs back when touched and the edges have pulled away from the pan, about 40 minutes.
Cool. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can turn it out and cut the gingerbread into slices or cut squares and serve directly out of the pan

Vegetable oil tends to make for a moister cake, but you can substitute melted butter.

Super Flavorful: The mix of spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves gives you that classic gingerbread taste.
Easy to Make: Seriously, you don’t need to be a pro baker to pull this off.
Versatile: Serve it warm, serve it cool, top it, or eat it plain. You’ve got options.
Keeps Well: This gingerbread is as good the next day, if it lasts that long!

This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.

You’ll need the following for this classic sweet loaf:

For any leftovers, you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Want to freeze it? Cut into slices, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. To eat, thaw at room temperature.

Can I use melted butter instead of vegetable oil?

Yep, you can. But using oil generally makes the cake moister.

What type of molasses should I use?

Any type except blackstrap will work great.

Can I use a different pan size?

You can, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time. A 9×9 pan will hold the recipe well but the baking time might be a bit shorter.

Don’t rush the cooling process. Letting it cool a bit will make slicing easier.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, so all ingredients get well incorporated.
Double-check your spices before starting. They need to be fresh and you need them all. They’re the heart of this recipe!