Perfect for the holiday season, this gingerbread pudding cake is a warm, spicy and comforting dessert. Enjoy them as individual puddings or make as one big pudding cake, if you prefer.
Gingerbread pudding cake is the perfect thing to enjoy while you sit on the couch watching Polar Express. Or for a festive holiday dessert. Or for a warm treat after an afternoon out tobogganing. Yes, these pudding cakes taste like the season!
Pudding cakes are one of my favourite treats. It’s like getting two desserts in one. These have a lovely light and gingerbread spiced cake topping, with a brown sugar “pudding” on the bottom. I love them with a dollop of whipped cream, but vanilla ice cream is lovely, too.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Molasses – I recommend “Fancy” molasses for the best flavour. Cooking and Blackstrap molasses have a more harsh flavour that wouldn’t be to everyones taste.
Recipe Tips
- As you can no doubt see from the pictures, these pudding bubble up and over a wee bit. Be sure to place your baking dishes on a baking sheet.
- You can make these as individual pudding cakes in ramekins or any small oven-proof small dish (My teacups here are oven-proof. Most aren’t, so be sure before you try with your own cups). This recipe should make 4 or 5 small ramekin-sized puddings. Less with larger ramekins. You can also bake this as one large pudding in a 8-inch-ish baking dish or skillet. If you need more, simply double the recipe.
- These pudding cakes will puff up above the edge of the dish while cooking, but will settle back down as they cool.
- When adding the batter to the dishes, don’t fill more than half full with batter. You need to leave room for the hot water/butter on top of that yet, along with a bit of head-room (1/2-inch or so is fine).
- Baking time will vary, depending on the size of your dish. The toothpick test is your best gauge for done-ness.
Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing
You can make these pudding cakes a bit ahead and re-heat to serve. To re-heat, microwave or place onto a baking sheet and loosely cover with aluminum foil. Pop into a 350F oven until warmed through.
Store puddings in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
These pudding cakes should freeze, though the texture may change a bit from the process of freezing and thawing.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1/2 large egg, (beat egg, then use half)
- 1/2 cup Fancy (mild) molasses, (not blackstrap)
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 Tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt, allspice and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Place 4-6 small ramekins or 8-inch baking dish on a baking sheet and grease or spray with baking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup water with 1/2 cup molasses. Stir well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat until mixed. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the molasses mixture. Mix just until blended.
- Divide batter between ramekins (or add to baking dish), filling ramekins no more than 1/2 full with batter. Sprinkle with brown sugar (dividing the 6 Tbsp. between your dishes). Combine hot water with melted butter and stir well. Carefully pour over top, dividing between ramekins or adding all to one baking dish. Allow 1/2-3/4 inch clearance at the top of the dish.
- Bake in preheated oven until firm and cracked on top and a toothpick inserted in the top half of cake comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
Notes
More Pudding Cake Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Made this dessert last night and it was so good. Will definitely add it to my favorite recipe file.
Next I will try to double the pudding sauce.
So glad you enjoyed it, Wendy and yes, more sauce is never a bad idea :) Thanks so much!
Do I just double the hot water/butter for more sauce? Sounds good but love lots of sauce.
Hi Velma and I assume that would work. I haven’t tried it myself :) Let me know how it goes!
Jennifer: If baked in individual sealer jars, can they be frozen?
Thank you..
Hi Dianne and I haven’t tried it myself, but my gut says these would freeze just fine.
Haven’t tried gingerbread pudding cake. But this looks really good. Thank for sharing this. Excited to try this.
Enjoy!
Metric measurements please?
Done Jan :) Enjoy!
Made this! My husband really enjoyed it!
So glad to hear, Chrissy :) Thanks!
I realize I am really late to the party, but these are amazing. The batter divided perfectly into six, 250ml wide mouth mason jars using a #12 – 1/3 cup scoop. The advantage to this was that I could put the lids on them when they came out of the oven and take them to drop off for people who are still not leaving their houses because of quarantine issues. 10/10, perfect delivery dessert!
I love this idea, Erin! And such a wonderful treat to share that they can re-warm and enjoy anytime. Thanks so much!
These look delicious! Can these be prepped and left in the fridge for half a day before then baking?
Thanks
Hi Faith, I’d be concerned about mixing then baking later. I haven’t done it myself. Particularly, I’d worry that the leavening (baking soda in this case) would lose it’s rising power as it sits. I’d be more inclined to bake them earlier, then warm them to serve later.
I have a quick question, Jennifer. Can this be doubled to accommodate a 9×13 dish? Would I just double all of the ingredients? Have you ever tried it with success?
Oops..sorry..just read that it can be done..sorry!
Glad you found it, Colleen. Enjoy :)
These certainly look like a perfect way to finish off any holiday meal. I love the flavor of gingerbread and love that you’ve combined it in a such a fun way!
Thanks Chris and yes, they are a perfect holiday dessert :)
Is is salted or unsalted butter that you use?
Hi Kayla, I generally use salted butter.
Your pudding version of gingerbread sounds great and perfect for the season.
Thanks Karen!
I love the texture of pudding cakes SO much, these look amazing, as always, Jennifer! Have a wonderful holiday week <3
Thanks Sue and you, too!!
Pudding cakes are the best! Seriously, who could say no to all that fabulous gooey deliciousness? Drool! I loooove that you made these individual!! So cute and just perfect for the holidays! Cheers, Jennifer!
Thanks Cheyanne and yes, I have a love of pudding cakes, too :)
How cute are these Jennifer?! They sound so delicious too. I love them in the individual cups.
Thanks so much, Mary Ann :)
Oh now you did it! I thought I was done with desserts for the year :) I adore gingerbread and a pudding cake version is brilliant. Warm, spicy and comforting … yes please!
Thanks Tricia and I do, too! They taste like the season :)
What great looking gingerbread pudding cakes , just right for the season . Happy Holidays to you.
Thanks so much and to you as well :)
Jennifer, you have the best recipes! We are gingerbread addicts at this house, so I’m sure I know somebody that would love this! Snow has been coming down here all night, but the temperature is going up. Things are going to get messy! I live between London and Sarnia (Ontario) and we get all the snow coming in off the lake. I don’t think Lake Huron froze over last winter, but I think it will this year!
Hi Colleen and thanks so much :) It has been snowy in Muskoka too this December. It can stop anytime :)