These Gluten Free and Dairy Free Gingerbread Mini Cakes seem almost healthy! And I don’t mean they lack deliciousness or a lovely soft texture! They taste perfect, dusted with powdered sugar or with a little powdered sugar glaze, lemon glaze, whipped cream, or you could even add a homemade or purchased lemon curd to the top. Try it with our Meyer Lemon Curd for the lemon lover.
Whatever you decide, they are sure to be a hit. Even after a big or heavy dinner, they are not too heavy. You could also enjoy these for breakfast if you like. I have always loved spice flavored cakes or cupcakes! I remember my mom making us spice cake. We would come home from school and enjoy slices of the cake in the afternoon (at least I think I remember this!) There is something so comforting in a spice cake. Gingerbread and ginger cookies are some of my favorite cakes and cookies.
Here, I’ve made a gluten free and dairy free gingerbread so light and airy and full of spices, that it can take on any wheat flour gingerbread and probably win. I hope you like it as much as my guests have lately.
Gluten Free and Dairy Free Mini Gingerbread Cakes
Ingredients
- ⅜ cup white rice flour, gf
- ⅝ cup brown rice flour, gf
- ¼ cup tapioca starch, gf
- ½ cup finely ground almond flour, gf
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1¼ teaspoons baking soda, gf
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger, gf
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, gf
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves, gf
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice, gf
- a sprinkle of nutmeg, gf
- ¼ teaspoon salt or ½ teaspoon Morton's Kosher Salt
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- ½ cup molasses, gf or ¼ cup molasses, gf, plus ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- ½ cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or light olive oil
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla, gf
Candied Lemon Slices (optional) and Lemon Glaze
- 1 lemon, cut into thin slices
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ⅛ cup water
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ⅛ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ – 1 tablespoon almond milk, gf
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare the pans by oiling with a spray oil or a little vegetable oil on a paper towel. Dust lightly with brown rice flour.
- In a large bowl, sift the rice flours and tapioca with the baking soda and the xanthan. Add the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to combine. Add the sugar, molasses, maple syrup or honey, oil, egg and mix with a rubber spatula. Pour in the boiling water and vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. You can also choose to mix the batter in a stand mixer.
- Fill the mini cake pans or cupcake pans two thirds full.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes for mini cakes, 15-16 for cupcakes, or 25-30 for 8”.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Make Candied Lemon Slices and let cool. Make Lemon Glaze. Drizzle the Lemon Glaze over the cooled cakes. Add the Candied Lemon Slices and serve.
Candied Lemon Slices (optional) and Lemon Glaze
- In a small saucepan, stir water and powdered sugar together. Heat to boiling. Add lemon slices and cook for 1 minute. Remove the lemon slices to a wire rack or parchment paper to dry. Reserve syrup for lemon glaze.
- To the syrup from the candied lemon slices, add ½ cup powdered sugar and ⅛ cup water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Add ¼ teaspoon lemon zest and ½ tablespoon almond milk.