Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
This recipe was adapted from a community cookbook recipe contributed by Otis Jennex Sr. of Oyster Pond, Nova Scotia.
I was given this recipe for old-fashioned gingerbread cake many years ago by a friend who grew up in the Jeddore area of Nova Scotia and still lives there today. She told me it had originally appeared in a community cookbook put together by the Fisherman’s Life Museum, and that it remains a well-loved recipe in the area.
The method itself is an older one. You stir in baking soda dissolved in a little boiling water, then finish the batter with a full cup of boiling water. It creates a soft crumb and an even, tender texture without any extra steps or special equipment.
I make this gingerbread every Christmas and throughout the winter. It slices cleanly, stays tender for days, and is just as good plain as it is with a spoonful or two of warm brandy sauce.
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Ingredients For Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
Ingredient Notes
- Baking Soda: Check that it’s fresh or recently opened.
- Boiling Water: Use fresh water and measure it immediately before adding it to the batter.
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes.
- Eggs: I use large eggs for all of my recipes.
- Molasses: Look for fancy or mild molasses, which are lighter and sweeter than blackstrap.
- Oil: Choose a neutral-tasting oil such as vegetable or canola.
- Salt: I use table salt for all of my recipes.
- Spices (Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger): Ground spices lose potency over time. I recommend replacing them if they’re more than a year old.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Spices (Cinnamon, Cloves, Ginger): Use the same total amount of mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this old-fashioned gingerbread cake recipe:
- Candied Ginger: ¼ cup, finely chopped, folded in with the dry ingredients
- Chocolate Chips: ½ to ¾ cup, semisweet, stirred into the batter at the end
- Cranberries (Dried): ½ cup, added with the dry ingredients
- Dates: ½ cup, chopped, folded in after the boiling water
- Nuts (Almonds, Hazelnuts, Walnuts): ½ cup, chopped, stirred in after the boiling water is mixed in
- Orange Peel (Candied): ¼ cup, chopped, mixed in with the dry ingredients
- Orange Zest: Up to 1 tabelspoon, added to the wet ingredients
- Raisins (Golden): ½ cup, stirred in just before the batter is poured into the pan
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
STEP 1: Mix the molasses, oil, sugar, eggs, and salt in a large bowl until smooth.
STEP 2: Place the baking soda in a small dish, add a teaspoon or two of boiling water, stir to dissolve, then mix it into the bowl.
STEP 3: Add the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Stir until the flour just disappears.
STEP 4: Carefully pour in the boiling water
STEP 5: Mix the boiling water in at low speed to keep it from splashing.
STEP 6: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
STEP 7: Carefully transfer the dish to the oven. The batter is thin and will slosh if moved quickly.
STEP 8: Bake for 75 to 80 minutes, or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
Expert Tips
- You can measure molasses by lightly oiling the measuring cup first so it slides out easily. I prefer to use a scale and measure it out in grams right into my mixing bowl.
- Dissolve the baking soda in boiling water right before you need it so it stays active.
- Use a spatula or spoon to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl because molasses-heavy batters can hide pockets of sugar and flour.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- When you add the boiling water to dissolve the baking soda, the soda will bubble and fizz. This is normal.
- Mix the boiling water into the batter on low speed because the batter will become very thin and splash at high speed.
- I tested this recipe in a ceramic baking dish. A glass dish will behave the same, but a metal pan may bake the cake more quickly, so start checking for doneness around the 60-minute mark. The original recipe called for 40 to 45 minutes, though in my kitchen it consistently takes between 75 and 80 minutes.
Storage
- Store the gingerbread tightly covered at room temperature for up to three days.
- For longer storage, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- To freeze, wrap the cooled cake in parchment paper and place it in a reusable zipper-top bag or airtight freezer container and freeze for up to two months.
More Heritage Recipes Like This Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
Printable Recipe Card
Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish see notes
- Measuring cups and spoons or digital kitchen scale
- Electric mixer and mixing bowl
- Small dish or ramekin
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons salted butter (room temperature, for greasing the pan)
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup neutral oil (I use Crisco vegetable oil)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup boiling water (plus a bit extra for dissolving the baking soda)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150 °C) and grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish (see notes) with butter. Set aside.
- Mix the molasses, oil, sugar, eggs, and salt in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Place the baking soda in a small dish. Add a teaspoon or two of boiling water, stir until dissolved, then add it to the bowl and mix well.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Stir until the flour just disappears.
- Pour in 1 cup of boiling water and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin. Pour it into the prepared baking dish and bake for 75 to 80 minutes, or until the centre springs back when lightly pressed.
- Cool the gingerbread in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- When you add the boiling water to dissolve the baking soda, the soda will bubble and fizz. This is normal.
- Mix the boiling water into the batter on low speed because the batter will become very thin and splash at high speed.
- I tested this recipe in a ceramic baking dish. A glass dish will behave the same, but a metal pan may bake the cake more quickly, so start checking for doneness around the 60-minute mark. The original recipe called for 40 to 45 minutes, though in my kitchen it consistently takes between 75 and 80 minutes.
Storage
- Store the gingerbread tightly covered at room temperature for up to three days.
- For longer storage, keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- To freeze, wrap the cooled cake in parchment paper and place it in a reusable zipper-top bag or airtight freezer container and freeze for up to two months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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