Vegan Gingerbread Crumb Cake

A classic holiday flavor, gingerbread is synonymous with Christmas and although the cookies (either team crispy or chewy) have their place, I like an actual gingerbread cake and nothing fits the bill more than this crumb cake! Truth be told, this is a recipe I’ve been making for longer than I’d like to admit but I’ve modified it to add all the warm gingerbread spices.

This is really an Amish shoofly cake recipe and is normally made plain without spices. I discovered it probably 30 years ago. Shoo fly pie is a wet bottomed molasses and crumb pie that’s delicious but some don’t like the gooey texture. Some Amish bakeries offer a dry bottom pie and this is the filling that normally goes in the pie shell before baking. The recipe is naturally egg free which first drew me to it to make it, and it’s so good. I love it plain, but adding the gingerbread spices really takes it to eleven. Some strict Amish may find it too proud, but that’s not my problem.

One of the best things about this recipe is that it can all be made in a food processor. If you don’t have one then you can certainly mix it by hand, but a pastry blender would definitely help to make easy work of the crumbs. Alternately, you can use two forks to mix the dry ingredients together which is how I imagine the Amish do it.

Once the dry ingredients are blended together, you take out about a third of the mixture (about 1 1/3 cups) then add the wet ingredients and blitz in the processor. Then it’s just a pour into a greased and floured baking dish, a sprinkle of the crumb topping (use a fork to spread them evenly), then you’re off to bake city.

This would be great for a Christmas brunch or to snack on while opening presents. It’s moist, super flavorful and so light and airy it might float away. If you love gingerbread then you should definitely try this recipe. I really love that no eggs are needed so no need for replacements or ingredients you may not have on hand. There’s also no added salt so it’s good for those watching their sodium intake. Happy holidays!

Vegan Gingerbread Crumb Cake

Recipe by Kreg

5.0 from 3 votes

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

A delicious and easy egg substitute free vegan gingerbread cake with a tasty crumb topping!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1 cup whole wheat flour

• 1 cup light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon all spice

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 cup vegan butter

• 1 cup boiling water

• 1/2 cup molasses

Directions

• Using a food processor footed with the metal chopping blade or in a bowl, add all the dry ingredients and pulse for a few seconds to combine or whisk by hand. Cube the butter and add to the bowl and pulse to start then process for 10 seconds until combined. If mixing by hand, use two forks or a pastry blender to work in the butter until fine crumbs are formed.
• Remove one third of the dry mixture to a bowl (about 1 1/3 cups) and reserve. Add the molasses to the boiling water and add to the dry mixture in the food processor or your mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Should take about 20 seconds in the processor or a minute by hand.
• Preheat your oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 13×9 baking dish and pour the batter evenly into the dish. It will be somewhat thin. Add the crumb mixture evenly to the top and using a fork, rake out the crumbs evenly being careful not to drag any of the batter below them.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely and serve with whipped cream or powdered sugar on top.

Notes

• Use true unsulphered molasses and not blackstrap if you can help it.
  
• I used vegan butter in stick form as it’s easier to cube but if all you have is the kind from a tub, that’s fine.
  
• You could use all all purpose or all whole wheat flour but it might be better with white whole wheat if going that route. Not sure how this would work gluten-free but you could certainly try!

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