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Gingerbread Cake~ no fridge cream cheese icing

October 27, 2025 By Gretchen

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Can you imagine a fall baking season without a Gingerbread Cake?
Me neither!

Wacky Gingerbread Cake and no fridge cream cheese icing!

Gingerbread Cake

For those having a hard time finding vegan cream cheese like me

Or worse yet having it all turn into cream cheese soup the minute you give it a stir!
Introducing a life hack that is going to have you jumping for joy! Shelf stable, no refrigeration Cream Cheese Icing recipe!
By adding vegan lactic acid to your favorite buttercream recipe, you have instant cream cheese icing!

Gingerbread Cake

There’s need to refrigerate this cake since we are not using vegan cream cheese!
You’re welcome 🙂

WATCH THE  VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE!

Wacky Gingerbread Cake with cream cheese icing

No affiliation with any product or company linked below, solely for visual reference

Notes for Success:

I am baking this recipe in an 9″ x 9″ square pan for 1 single layer to serve 9 people
12 Cupcakes or 2- 7″ Layers

I know many people cannot get molasses which is an essential ingredient in any gingerbread recipe 
Since it’s not just a sweetener, but the deep rich robust flavor it imparts is what makes it all taste so darned good!
If you cannot get molasses you can substitute any other liquid sugar like Golden Syrup, Maple Syrup or even dark corn syrup will do.
Just remember sadly, that the taste will not be the true authentic gingerbread molasses experience.

You will notice I add a spot of cocoa powder to my gingerbread cake recipe
This is optional, if you decide to leave it out just replace with a scant tablespoon of more flour
But you should really try it! You won’t go back!

Wacky Gingerbread Cake with cream cheese icing

Gingerbread Cake

A simple one bowl mix up for the batter & no refrigerator cream cheese icing! This means it can stay at room temperature for days although it probably won't last that long!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

For the Cake Batter:

  • 4 Tbs Vegetable Oil (60ml)
  • ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar (50g)
  • 1 Tbs Flax Meal (8g)
  • 3 Tbs Hot Water (45ml)
  • ⅓ cup Hot Boiling Water (78ml)
  • ½ cup Molasses (118ml)
  • ½ cup Applesauce (120g)
  • 1½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1½ Tbs Ground Ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1¾ cup All Purpose Flour (218g)
  • 1 Tbs Natural Cocoa Powder (8g)

For the Cream Cheese Icing

  • ½ Recipe 222 Cream Cheese Icing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F & grease & parchment line an 9" x 9" cake pan
  • Combine the flax meal with the first measure of hot water in a small bowl & whisk to combine, let stand for 5 minutes to thicken to a paste.
  • In a measuring cup combine the oil, applesauce & molasses
  • In a larger mixing bowl combine the flour with the sugar, cocoa powder, spices, salt, & baking soda whisk or sift to combine
  • Add to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl all at once & whisk to a smooth batter, then add the other measure of hot boiling water whisking well to combine
  • Pour the batter into your prepared pan & bake immediately in the preheated 350°F oven for approximately 25-30 minutes
  • While the cakes are cooling prepare the shelf stable cream cheese icing recipe as per the recipe on that page

Video

Notes

 
Storage Gingerbread cake does not have to be refrigerated and will stay fresh for up to 4 days at room temperature loosely covered. For longer storage refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze wrapped well for up to 2 months
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cake Recipes, Holiday Baking, Muffins and Breakfast

Previous Post: « German Chocolate Cake
Next Post: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tiffany Thorpe

    November 8, 2021 at 1:37 pm

    I’m excited to try this! What would you recommend the ratio of all spice would be in exchange for the fresh ground spices in the recipe? (Blasphemous I know). Love you woman! Keep up the amazing work!

    • Gretchen

      November 8, 2021 at 5:28 pm

      LOL Hi Tiffany~ thanks!. If you mean Pumpkin Pie Spice? I usually just add up *roughly* the total amount of separate spices then use that equal amount in PPSpice

      But for gingerbread cakes my spices are slightly different, for a bit more “bite” obviously heavy in the ginger for gingerbread anything and more clove compared to a Pumpkin Pie Spice where it’s heavy on cinnamon and light on all the rest, but hey YOU DO YOU! 😀

  2. MONTSE

    November 11, 2021 at 9:53 am

    Hi Gretchen!
    I just have liquid lactic acid, would it work? Thank you!

    • Gretchen

      November 11, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      yes

      • Noel

        May 9, 2022 at 2:55 pm

        Hi! Great recipe!

        I’m in dire need of a vegan cream cheese glaze recipe for donuts, brownies etc., and I’m on a time crunch because my family member is going through a severe illness.

        I’ve been experimenting with an apple cider vinegar and lemon juice combo, but haven’t been able to get that cream cheese flavor in a glaze like I have in a frosting. My ratios must be off.

        I need the glaze to be shelf stable, so I’m trying to do it with water (no milks), powdered sugar, maybe vanilla extract ?, and whatever other ingredients you think would give it that cream cheese flavor. I can purchase a vegan lactic acid powder if you think that would work, but I need a recipe that will mimic that flavor very well without using any other allergens or crazy ingredients.

        If you can give me a recipe or an idea of how much lactic acid powder to use. Is that all I need to add to a regular vanilla glaze recipe or do I have to combine the lactic acid with something else?
        Thanks so much!

        • Gretchen

          May 9, 2022 at 11:02 pm

          Hi Yes! I have made a separate recipe post for the no cream cheese ~ Cream Cheese icing, CLICK HERE

          • Noel

            May 10, 2022 at 3:11 am

            Thank you SO SO much, but I’m looking to make a thin, pourable or dipping glaze for donuts.

            Do you think adding the lactic acid to a vanilla glaze recipe (water, powdered sugar, & vanilla) produce the same cream cheese flavor?

            Waiting for your reply… You’re the best!

  3. Penny

    October 18, 2022 at 9:03 pm

    I am diabetic on a low carb no sugar diet.would these recipes work to do some ingredient swapping

    • Gretchen

      October 18, 2022 at 9:37 pm

      For recipes that do not require creaming of butter & sugar then YES! For example this cake recipe would work great with a diabetic sugar since it is a straight up “liquids into wet mix”
      As for the low carb..I am assuming you mean to swap out the flour with something else?
      In that case it is not so easy and you may do better to look at tried & true Keto recipes

  4. Ms. Z

    October 10, 2024 at 8:43 pm

    Have you tried with gluten free flour?

    • Gretchen

      October 13, 2024 at 3:31 pm

      Hey sorry for the late reply I have been without electricity for the last 5 days. Not sure when this message was sent, but no I have not tried GF flour here sorry

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Yep, it's me Gretchen~ Owner of Gretchen's Bakery. Well, I no longer own a physical bakery since I sold mine in late 2014 & since 2016 I make nothing but the best vegan recipes! Read More…

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