Once November hits, I’m craving ginger and other spice-y baked goods like crazy (but also brown liquor, duh–healthiest diet ever). The pumpkin frenzy has certifiably died down and holiday desserts/the all-surrounding themes of spice, peppermint, citrus, cranberries etc. can start to go into full effect. My favourite cookie of all time, actually, is a double chocolate and candied ginger-studded number from a local bakery. Chocolate and spice together has always made sense to me, and when I saw a recipe for flax gingerbread muffins on Post Punk Kitchen, I knew I needed something similar with gooey chocolate chunks. But also in a snack-size cake form with some kind of sweet glaze (have you guys maybe noticed that I’m kind of into glaze?).
Anyway, I wanted to make this cake gluten-free for a couple reasons. I like to have a few bangin’, allergen-friendly recipes in my arsenal this time of year. Frequent gatherings mean more people around, and more people around means more food and further, the possibility of food sensitivity issues popping up. I never want anyone to feel left out, especially in times of merry-making. Luckily I had received the new Gluten-Free Artisan Bread in 5 from Zoë Francois and Jeff Hertzberg. This book is full of beautiful breads like pannetone, pretzels, english muffins, bagels, ciabatta and on and on. Now, obviously this recipe isn’t from the book, BUT I did use their all purpose gluten-free flour mix here and it worked out beautifully. I had worked with these ingredients separately and in mixes before (rice, sorghum, and tapioca flour plus potato starch + psyllium husk/xanthan gum), so I had a hunch I’d be setting myself up for success, despite the completely different nature of my recipe. I’m so glad Zoë and Jeff did the legwork on this mix because so far, so good on the gluten-free success front.
Since it’s such a beautiful and handy book for those who prefer to avoid gluten, we’re so excited to give away a copy to BAKED readers! All you have to do is comment on this post by next Tuesday (November 25th) at midnight, telling us your absolute favourite holiday dessert (perhaps one you’d like to make gluten-free?). I’ll pick one winner at random, so please leave an email address that you check often. Giveaway is open to US + Canadian residents! Giveaway is now closed. Thanks for participating!
Vegan + Gluten-Free Chocolate Chunk Ginger Cake Recipe
Barely adapted from Post Punk Kitchen’s Gingerbread Flax Muffins recipe
Serves: 6-8
Time: 20 minutes active, 1 Hour + 10 minutes total
to print the recipe, click here
Notes: As I mentioned, I used Zoë + Jeff’s GF all purpose flour blend from the book. But for the sake of convenience, I’ve had prior success with Pamela’s Artisan Flour Blend and the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
Cake ingredients:
1/3 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk
1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1 1/4 cups gluten-free all purpose flour of your choice (that contains psyllium husk, xanthan gum or guar gum)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of fine sea salt
1/4 cup melted unrefined coconut oil OR olive oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/3 cup fancy molasses
1/4 cup maple OR coconut palm sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
½ cup vegan chocolate chunks
Glaze ingredients:
1 cup unrefined powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp fresh orange juice
little splash of vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3-4 cup loaf pan with coconut oil. Line the loaf pan with parchment and then lightly grease the parchment. Set the pan aside.
In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the almond milk, ground flax, and apple cider vinegar. You want this mixture foamy. It should start thickening up within a couple minutes. Whipping this mixture up in the blender can speed things up as well.
In a larger bowl, sift the gluten-free all purpose flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, and sea salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and then add the flax + milk mixture, coconut oil, applesauce, molasses, maple sugar, vanilla, and chocolate chunks. Gently stir the mixture with a spatula until it just comes together.
Scrape the ginger cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until cake is deeply golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (watch out for the chocolate chunks on that though).
Let the cake cool completely on a rack.
For the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and vanilla together until completely smooth, adding more liquid if necessary. Spoon and spread over the completely cooled cake.
valentina - sweet kabocha says
November 19, 2014 at 4:48 amThis cake seems just perfect for me! I need to try homemade unrefined powdered sugar :)
Claudia says
November 19, 2014 at 6:08 amthat looks great! My favorite holiday recipe is a german Christmas cookie, vanilla half crecents. My goal is for this year to try them vegan and gluten free.
Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says
November 19, 2014 at 6:23 amThe cake is incredibly inspiring – I love the little peeks of gooey chocolate chunks! As for my favourite holiday baked dessert, well, with Hannukah around the corner I always go back to my grandmother’s sour cherry sufganiyot. Though I have made them the traditional way before, I imagine that with the years I will slowly progress to baking them, trying to make them gluten-free, and maybe even trying to make them vegan. We’ll see!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
November 19, 2014 at 6:59 amSuch a stunning cake. I love the chocolate in there!
Beth C. says
November 19, 2014 at 7:52 amOh, I love a good pumpkin bread, but I think my all time favorite dessert would be a molasses cake that I had a while back. That was just heavenly!
Lisa says
November 19, 2014 at 9:05 amI love chocolate and ginger together! there is a candy shop close by me that has wonderful chocolate covered ginger that I constantly crave, so I’m definitely trying this cake.
One of my favorite desserts for the holidays is Stollen. I first tried it a few years ago and was hooked, but it’s been hit or miss trying to find it since then. I would love to make my own and try it gluten free!
Jaclyn F says
November 19, 2014 at 9:07 amGf vegan 7 layer bars would be pretty fantastic…yum!
Ashley says
November 19, 2014 at 9:35 amThese look OUTstanding!!! I’m also dying over that GF cookbook. I still can’t believe it’s really GF bread! :) Love these light + bright photos from you, Laura. Beautiful!!
Ashley says
November 19, 2014 at 9:37 am(p.s. don’t count me in the giveaway!)
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
November 19, 2014 at 10:11 amWhat a stunner! I’ll take all the chocolate chunks and double the ginger please : )
Jessica says
November 19, 2014 at 10:18 amMy favourite holiday dessert are cookies! Especially quince cookies which consist of quince gelly wrapped in a pâte brisé. Divine!
Heather says
November 19, 2014 at 10:32 amLooks fab! My favorite holiday treat is Kugelhopf, an Alsatian Christmas bread. It’s similar to Pannetone but with more butter and a hint of orange blossom.
Rachel says
November 19, 2014 at 10:48 amThis looks AMAZING! I though you had me at the chocolate chunks, but then you went ahead and poured that glaze on top….. perfection.
Rachel
http://rachelinflight.com/
Ines says
November 19, 2014 at 11:31 amWow! This looks delicious. Can’t wait to make it.
My favorite Christmas dessert is a Bosnian speciality called “bear paws”. They are so wicked tasty and I make them every year. Alas I still haven’t figured out how to make them gf.
Gaby says
November 19, 2014 at 2:24 pmFavorite holiday dessert: definitely classic gingerbread cake!
Julie says
November 19, 2014 at 3:52 pmThis looks really yummy! One of my favourite holiday desserts are ginger molasses cookies, especially when they’re soft and chewy :)
hilary says
November 19, 2014 at 4:04 pmthis looks so yummy! When I think of the holiday season, I always think of my grans fruit cake filled with dates and brazil nuts, definitely something I want to transform into vegan and gluten-free so I can re-enjoy it
Becca F says
November 19, 2014 at 7:04 pmI love rice pudding on Christmas, it’s a Swedish tradition!
Allison says
November 19, 2014 at 7:15 pmMmmmm…will be baking this this weekend. Your recipes are gorgeous and work perfectly, thank you! My favorite holiday dessert is really more of a holiday breakfast…a big slice of crumb-topped, buttery coffee cake. Glazed, of course!
jacquie says
November 19, 2014 at 10:21 pmreally good gingerbread cookies which are actually surprisingly hard to find.
Sarah N says
November 19, 2014 at 11:19 pmOMG! You guys are amazing for doing this. My absolute favorite holiday desert is trifle but I can’t eat it anymore because of the gluten and the dairy, BUT this recipe will definitely be showing up at my Thanksgiving table :)
Abby says
November 19, 2014 at 11:23 pmI can’t ever get over ice cream, even in the winter. So a scoop with a slice of pie is perfect.
Heather says
November 20, 2014 at 8:45 amMy mom’s brown sugar cinnamon kringle. Hands down the best dessert — holidays or not.
Kristin says
November 20, 2014 at 11:35 amMy grandma’s super simple, super rich rice pudding with cinnamon and raisins is still my all-time fave.
Kerry says
November 20, 2014 at 12:03 pmMy favorite holiday recipe are my grandmother’s German waffle cookies, make on a pizzelle iron and filled with the most delicious pastry cream ever.
Anagha Bharadwaj says
November 20, 2014 at 1:34 pmAhh this is a dream come true! I’ve just recently gone gluten free, and I would love to bring quality bread and desserts back into my life! My favorite holiday dessert is cake studded with fruit and drizzled with creamy date caramel :)
S Lauren | Modern Granola says
November 20, 2014 at 3:14 pmThis looks incredible! I really want to try this! Also, my favorite holiday dessert is the sugar cookie that my family cuts out and decorates!
dorene inglis says
November 20, 2014 at 3:27 pmthe gingerbread cake made at grammercy tavern-this cake has been attacked frozen and it still is heavenly & edible as a rich, dense glob. the recipe is online love it at holiday time
Stephanie Ard says
November 20, 2014 at 3:32 pmlooks SO good! I’ve been wanting to try more glutten free items … as I am addicted to bread. It’s bad. oh, and my favorite holiday treat (well, at least it’s a holiday treat in my house) is a tie between oatmeal lace cookies and pumpkin bread!
Jessica DeMarra says
November 20, 2014 at 3:35 pmGinger and chocolate are my favs. I like to dip crystallized ginger slices in melted chocolate and eat it right away. As for a holiday fav, I would love plain old gingerbread cookies, rolled in crystal sugar. When I was tested them gluten free (and vegan) they turned out too cake like and not the dense, chewy cookie I was looking for. But who needs cookies when there is a cake like this? (Well I still want cookies….who are we kidding?)
Mattea says
November 20, 2014 at 8:00 pmThis looks lovely! My favourite holiday recipe is speculaas. This is a Belgian spice cookie that is made around the feast of Saint Nicholas (December 6th); I’ve been making my own for about a year now and they’re super delicious – I’d love to be able to try my hand at a gluten free version.
Alicia says
November 20, 2014 at 9:52 pmI would like to try and make my mom’s Pumpkin Torte recipe gluten free! :)
Toni Albers says
November 20, 2014 at 10:44 pmThis recipe has me captivated.. and the book looks like a dream come true. I have been gluten free for about 12 years now. During the early stages I tried so many ways to make bread and gave up completely. It’s been so long since I’ve had some good homemade bread. To me, the best dessert is a good crusty loaf with some butter and honey. A dream come true.
Batya says
November 21, 2014 at 12:45 amChocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie is the front runner. Followed by Marlow & Son’s Chocolate Caramel Tart. Finally, a hybrid cheesecake that blends your Upstate NY Cheesecake with a Pumpkin Cheesecake I found in B+A. I’m not gluten free (in fact I think I’m a glutton for gluten), but it’s always nice to mix things up…and it’s even nicer to be able to accommodate friends with allergies :) Happy holidays!
Batya says
November 21, 2014 at 12:47 amThat should have read “an” Upstate NY Cheesecake, not your :) Sorry!
La Cuisine d'Helene says
November 21, 2014 at 5:35 pmI can’t resist a cake that I make with chocolate and dates that I serve with a warm salted caramel sauce!
Amazing giveaway!
Kerianne says
November 22, 2014 at 12:10 pmMy husband begs me to make Martha Stewarts Chewy Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies every Fall/Winter and i’ve veganized them but now I can’t eat gluten so I’d love a copy of the book to learn more about GF baking. Thanks!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
November 23, 2014 at 8:38 amMy favorite holiday dessert is my vegan gluten-free crustless pumpkin pie!
Laura says
November 23, 2014 at 4:35 pmI have to say, I’m a sucker for those peanut butter cookies with the chocolate kiss in the middle!
Julia says
November 24, 2014 at 5:55 amlike you, i prefer to have a few alternative recipes in my stash, that are allergen-friendly. this cake looks & sounds devine. will be giving it a whirl asap. may sub some giddy-yoyo ginger chocolate. glaze.. yes please. my fave holiday dessert is tiramisu.
Mary says
November 25, 2014 at 9:27 amI woke up thinking – ah, a healthy chopped salad will be a great start today – then WAM – I read this recipe – and the dark chocolate bar I have hidden away is calling again : )
thank you for a delicious recipe!
Melanie says
November 25, 2014 at 4:01 pmThis recipe looks and sounds delicious. My favourite holiday dessert is raspberry trifle, but gumdrop cookies, shortbread and Linzer cookies are pretty tasty as well. Enjoy the holiday season.
kristie {birch and wild} says
November 25, 2014 at 11:57 pmI love everything about this cake, especially the gluten free-ness! Thank you for including us non gluten eating folks :) And thank you for taking such beautiful photos. They are seriously motivate me to become a better photographer.
MelissaW says
November 26, 2014 at 1:47 amI love Lush Pie. It’s pudding and whip cream and other equally bad stuff!
Michaela says
February 22, 2015 at 6:16 pmVery unique recipe! Does this bread freeze well, and warm back up without falling apart? The consistency is different due to being gluten-free, although in your pictures it looks like a dense cake where it wouldn’t fall apart! The glaze poured on top of the bread looks like it gives the cake a sweet flair. Thanks for sharing! Yum!
Katriona says
December 16, 2015 at 3:49 pmThis is such a great recipe. Many gluten free recipes have a lot more steps than regular recipes but this is quick, easy and super tasty. My gingerbread was cooked in 40 mins. Highly recommend.