This old-fashioned gingerbread cake is made with einkorn flour and updated with a delicious mocha frosting for the most irresistible combination. It might just be your new holiday favorite!

two square slices of einkorn gingerbread cake topped with thick layer of mocha frosting on light teal plates on a white and light blue stripped napkin

When I was creating this recipe, I was trying to recreate the experience of drinking a gingerbread latte from my favorite local coffee shop. While pumpkin spice is much loved and rightly so, gingerbread is unique and just as festive and seasonally relevant.

It’s the perfect combination of sweet and spicy (from warm clove, ginger, and cinnamon), with a pleasing bitterness from the espresso powder and a richness from the cream cheese.

Together, these flavors simply sing – making the yummiest cake that is perfect not only for the holidays, but for all of fall and winter. 

It’s the perfect cake to make when friends come over for an afternoon playdate with coffee. There is just something about eating something sweet with coffee that brings me a lot of joy. 

This moist gingerbread cake is made with einkorn flour so that it is easier to digest, healthier than conventional flour, and doesn’t require fermentation like other flours (you can find my sourdough chocolate cake recipe here.)

overhead photo of a einkorn gingerbread cake topped with mocha frosting on a wire baking rack on top of a red and white towel

Einkorn Gingerbread Cake Tips

  • Always ensure your baking soda is fresh (I recommend buying small containers of baking soda and using them up within 3-6 months).
  • For einkorn flour, I use Jovial (whole grain einkorn).
  • This cake is perfect for a coffee date or tea time dessert. 
  • It’s not overly sweet or full of sugar, which I appreciate.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.

close up picture of a large square slice of gingerbread einkorn cake with mocha frosting on a light teal plate with a fork resting on the plate

Why is gingerbread so good?

Gingerbread has such a complex and delicious depth of flavor that comes from the combination of molasses, clove, cinnamon, and ginger. These build a wonderful richness and warmth, making it the perfect sweet treat for the holidays.

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Is gingerbread a bread or cookie?

It really is a loose term that can indicate a cookie, bread, or cake. Usually, you will find it as a cookie or cake.

hand using a metal spatula to frost an einkorn cake with mocha frosting on a baking rack with a red and white towel underneath. To the left of the cake a bowl of frosting with a silicon spatula in the bowl

What you’ll need to make einkorn gingerbread cake

  • Einkorn flour – I use Jovial all-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Spices – cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves
  • Butter – unsalted (I like to be able to control the amount of salt added)
  • Sugar
  • Egg
  • Molasses – light, unsulfured. not blackstrap.
  • Hot water

Mocha Frosting

  • Butter – (unsalted) room temperature
  • Cream cheese – room temperature, preferably full fat
  • Espresso powder
  • Powdered sugar
hand holding a fork taking out a forkful of gingerbread cake with mocha frosting on a white plate on top of a white napkin.

Tools you may need:

Stand mixer or hand mixer

Large bowl

9 inch square baking dish

Measuring cups (liquid and dry) and spoons

Spatula

Parchment paper

square slices of einkorn gingerbread cake topped with mocha frosting on light teal plates on a white countertop

How To Make Gingerbread Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper.

einkorn flour with spices and leavening agents in a stoneware bowl to waiting to be mixed up

Begin by whisking flour, baking soda, salt, and all spices together in a medium-sized bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Add one room temperature egg and mix until well combined.

gingerbread cake batter in a glass bowl on a white countertop

Add in molasses and hot water and mix again. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients. 

Pour the batter into a baking dish and place in the oven. 

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool.

Make Mocha Frosting

einkorn gingerbread cake with a little bit of mocha frosting being spread on top. The cake sits on a baking rack with a red and white towel underneath.

In a small mixing bowl, using a hand held mixer or stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter, room temperature cream cheese, espresso powder, and icing sugar.

Beat together until the icing is light and fluffy with no lumps. This takes about 2-5 minutes.

Ice the cake after it has fully cooled, and enjoy!

This cake pairs really nicely with a warm cup of tea or coffee.

Find More Delicious Einkorn Recipes

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone

Einkorn Gingerbread Cake

4.36 from 31 votes
This old-fashioned gingerbread cake is made with einkorn flour and updated with a delicious mocha frosting for the most irresistible combination. It might just be your new holiday favorite!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 9
overhead photo of a einkorn gingerbread cake topped with mocha frosting on a wire baking rack on top of a red and white towel
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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups einkorn flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup molasses
  • 3/4 cup hot water

Mocha Icing

  • 1/2 cup butter, unsalted room temperature
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons espresso powder
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
  • Begin by whisking flour, baking soda, salt and all spices together in a medium-sized bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Add one room temperature egg and mix until well combined.
  • Add in molasses and hot water and mix again. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
  • Pour the batter into a baking dish and place in the oven.
  • Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool.

Create The Mocha Frosting

  • In a small mixing bowl using a hand held mixer or stand mixer, cream together room temperature butter, room temperature cream cheese, espresso powder and icing sugar.
  • Beat together until the icing is light and fluffy with no lumps. This takes anywhere from 2-5 minutes.
  • Ice the cake after it has fully cooled, then enjoy!

Notes

  • Always ensure your baking soda is fresh (I recommend buying small containers of baking soda and using them up within 3-6 months).
  • For einkorn flour, I use Jovial (whole grain einkorn).

Nutrition

Calories: 511kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 533mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 830IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.36 from 31 votes (31 ratings without comment)

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19 Comments

  1. Carol says:

    Hi. I use a scale to weigh my ingredients and was wondering if you have a metric version of the recipe, please? Thank you.