Just right for cold-weather baking, this one-bowl vegan ginger cake is made with double ginger – powdered and candied! If you love that spicy warming flavour, you'll love this lightly sweetened quick bread.
If you want some more ginger in your life (and desserts) try my blueberry cashew cheesecake, fresh gingerbread cookies, or banana-free ginger sweet potato smoothie.

Ingredients
Nothing complicated here! This cake doesn't need any egg replacer or any hard-to-find additions, just pantry staples and crystallized ginger.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- White flour: replace up to 50% of the white flour with whole wheat flour, or replace it with light spelt flour or a good gluten-free flour blend.
- Maple syrup: the darker, the better. You want that strong maple flavour here. Alternatively, use 1 tablespoon molasses and 3 tablespoons light maple syrup.
- Oil: any type of light-tasting liquid oil will work. I use olive oil.
- Cinnamon: substitute pumpkin spice if you want a stronger spice taste.
- Ginger: the terms candied and crystallized ginger are used interchangeably, but what you're looking for here are the pieces of ginger that are rolled in sugar, not stored in syrup.
- Add-ins: chopped dark chocolate is delicious with the ginger if you want it to be a little more dessert than breakfast! A handful added with the candied ginger is great.
How to Make Ginger Cake
Step 1: mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: add the milk, sugar, and maple syrup and mix until just combined. Fold in the crystallized ginger.
Step 3: transfer the batter to a loaf tin.
Step 4: bake until golden, about 35 minutes, and cool before slicing.
Top Tips
- Don't over-mix: stir until just combined, and a few small streaks of flour are fine. They'll be mixed in when you fold in the candied ginger. Mix too long and the loaf will be tough.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: this isn't quite as important, because you're not using butter or eggs, but it's a good idea for the milk to be at room temperature. Everything will mix together more easily and you'll lower the risk of over-mixing.
- Don't increase the ginger: this is already a pretty spicy cake, with a whole tablespoon of ground ginger! Any more and it will start to be overwhelming. You can reduce the amount slightly if you prefer less spice though.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days. It stores better without the icing.
Freezing: transfer the fully cooled loaf to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. You can do the same with individual slices, and thaw at room temperature.
FAQ
Is crystallized ginger same as candied ginger?
The terms are generally used interchangeably. You might see candied ginger sold in syrup, but crystallized ginger will always be dry and rolled in sugar.
Why is my gingerbread loaf so dry?
If your gingerbread loaf is dry and you followed the recipe with no substitutions, it's probably just over-baked or your oven runs too hot. Watch the baking time and use an oven thermometer if this happens often.
Is ginger cake the same as gingerbread?
While some types of gingerbread are leavened cakes or loaves, it more commonly refers to gingerbread biscuits or cookies. Ginger cake is a cake rather than cookies.
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Recipe
Vegan Ginger Loaf Cake
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Loaf tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups white all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup plant-based milk
- ⅔ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light-tasting oil
- ¼ cup dark maple syrup
- ¼ cup candied ginger finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease or line a loaf tin. Set aside.
- Add the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.2 cups white all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Add the milk, sugar, oil, and maple syrup to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine.¾ cup plant-based milk, ⅔ cup dark brown sugar, ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light-tasting oil, ¼ cup dark maple syrup
- Fold the chopped ginger into the batter.¼ cup candied ginger
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and the top springs back when lightly touched.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool fully. Serve as is, or top with a simple icing sugar and lemon juice icing and more candied ginger.
What size loaf tin do you use? in inches or centimetres, please... Thanks!
I want to make this for my daughter's birthday...
A stand loaf pan 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches will work perfectly 🙂