Vegan Gingerbread Cake, whole-wheat so you can eat it for breakfast

What can be a more delicious breakfast for the holidays than this delicious Vegan Gingerbread Cake made with whole wheat flour? It makes a perfect dessert or snack as well. Vegan, soy-free and nut-free recipe.

The aroma of gingerbread baking in the oven is something of a cliche this time of year, but how boring would the world be without those cliches? Or without this gorgeous Vegan Gingerbread Cake?

I took a break from all that cookie making to come up with this easy and delicious breakfast recipe for you to bake over the holidays. Although it works as a dessert or a snack or for any time of day. The reason I call it a breakfast recipe is because it's healthy enough to be one.

There's whole wheat here, and the sweetener I used is coconut palm syrup, which has a lower glycemic index than regular sugar. And then there are all those spices: cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The aroma all of these ingredients send wafting around the house as this cake bakes is to die for.

The cake itself is quite perfect: spongy, moist, sweet but not annoyingly so, and with just the right amount of ginger flavoring each bite.

Here's the ingredient list for this vegan gingerbread cake. You probably already have most of these in your pantry:

• Whole wheat pastry flour (all-purpose will work, or use half whole wheat and half all purpose)
• Coconut palm syrup (you can sub with maple syrup or half maple syrup and half molasses, or half sugar and half molasses)
• Cornstarch
• Baking soda
• Ground ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Ground cloves (optional)
• Nondairy milk (almond, soy, hemp, rice -- they all work. I used almond)
• Apple cider vinegar
• Applesauce
• Vegetable oil

 

So how do you make the perfect vegan gingerbread cake?

• This is pretty much a fool-proof recipe, but sticking with instructions will ensure you get fabulous results. So make sure you use the specified amount of sweetener and don't worry if your batter looks too runny after adding the maple syrup or coconut palm syrup. Sugar is a "wet" ingredient, because even when you add it in crystallized and dry form to a recipe, it melts in the oven. If you use the correct amount of sweetener, you will get the perfect result.
• Add some candied ginger to your batter for an amplified ginger hit. Or garnish the baked cake with slivers of candied ginger. Ooh la la.
• Changing up your flours will give you slightly different flavors. Use whole wheat for a nuttier taste, unbleached all purpose for a slightly cleaner taste. I prefer the whole wheat here because with those strong flavors of the ginger and other spices, no one will be able to really tell they are eating something healthy.
• Use an unflavored vegetable oil, not olive or coconut, which have strong flavors. You want to taste the ginger and spices here, or we'd have called it an olive bread or a coconut bread, right?
• The applesauce helps keep this recipe low-fat, so make sure you use it. It also gives the cake its incredibly moist and delicious crumb while not announcing itself.
• You can sub the apple cider vinegar with whatever vinegar you have on hand.

So there you are, all armed and ready to bake up the most scrumptious vegan gingerbread cake for your holidays. If you do, come back and let me know if you liked it. And if you're on Instagram, take a photo and tag it @holycowvegan.

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Looking for more vegan cake recipes for the holidays?

Vegan Cinnamon Cake with Cinnamon Streusel

Vegan Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Vegan Orange Cake with Orange Marmalade Buttercream

Vegan Apple Cake

Vegan Mango Cupcakes with Mango Buttercream

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