Gingerbread Pudding Cake with Toffee Sauce Recipe
This Gingerbread Pudding Cake with Toffee Sauce is a cozy, warm dessert perfect for fall and winter gatherings. Featuring a soft, gooey center with rich gingerbread spices and a silky toffee sauce that soaks into every bite, it offers the perfect balance of deep flavor and comforting texture. Made with common pantry ingredients and easy to prepare, this cake is ideal for impressing guests or enjoying a special treat at home.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cloves
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup molasses
- ¾ cup milk
For the Toffee Sauce:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agents.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with dark brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which creates a tender crumb in the cake.
- Add egg and molasses: Beat in the large egg and molasses until the batter is smooth and fully combined, adding moisture and deep gingerbread flavor.
- Add milk and dry ingredients: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and milk to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined to avoid toughness from overmixing.
- Pour into baking dish: Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish well, then pour in the batter and smooth the top with a spatula to ensure even baking.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 28–32 minutes until the edges are firm and slightly pulling away from the pan while the center remains soft but not jiggly, indicating a pudding-like texture.
- Make the toffee sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in dark brown sugar, heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened.
- Serve warm: Cut the cake into squares and serve warm in bowls. Pour the warm toffee sauce generously over each piece just before serving for a rich, comforting finish.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter to prevent a tough texture; mix only until combined.
- Don’t skip the toffee sauce as it enhances the cake’s richness and moisture.
- Check for doneness starting at 28 minutes to maintain a gooey center.
- Ensure the butter is softened to properly cream with the sugar for a tender, light crumb.
- Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat briefly in the microwave before serving.
- Toffee sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge; warm gently before use.
- Batter can be prepared and chilled one day ahead for convenience.
- Consider adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or flaky sea salt for serving enhancements.
Keywords: gingerbread pudding cake, toffee sauce, warm dessert, holiday dessert, cozy cake, molasses cake, easy baking dessert
