Gingerbread Sheet Cake with Maple Tahini Buttercream

A gingerbread recipe you and your whole family will love!  This gingerbread sheet cake is moist and fluffy,  has chocolate infused in the batter, is bursting with holiday flavors, and it is topped with a light tahini (vegan) buttercream frosting.

Apparently there are a lot of people out there that hate on gingerbread?  I didn’t know this but people keep talking about it on Instagram.  Let me tell you I am NOT one of those people and hopefully if you are here that means you aren’t either!  I love the warming spices and holiday sentiment that gingerbread brings.  And especially in cake form, it is just super tasty!  This recipe is moist and fluffy and not too heavy and I think it is just the perfect addition to your holiday meals!

If you want to try a SUPER easy gingerbread recipe, be sure to check out my no bake gingerbread cookies!

Ingredients for your Gingerbread Sheet Cake:

  • Whole wheat or gluten free all purpose flour – I have made this with both so feel free to use whichever you prefer!
  • Ripe bananas – I LOVE baking with bananas.  Helps sweeten our recipe without any sugar, and it adds a great texture!
  • Chocolate – I used Lily’s limited edition gingerbread bar here to really add that gingerbread flavor, but it does have milk in it so if you want this dairy free I’d just use a vegan chocolate! (white chocolate is also so good though!)
  • Coconut oil – I love baking with coconut oil because it gives you a little lighter result than butter, and adds a little sweet flavor.  And it has healthy fats!
  • An egg – to bind our cake.  I haven’t tried a flax egg but you could if you are vegan
  • Baking powder – to help it rise and be fluffy! 
  • Stevia – to add a little more sweetness without any refined sugar.

And everything that makes gingerbread, well, gingerbread:

  • Ginger 
  • Cloves 
  • Nutmeg  
  • Cinnamon  
  • Molasses 

And for the frosting we are using my maple tahini (vegan) buttercream!

Tips for the Perfect Gingerbread Sheet Cake!

  • Make sure your bananas are really ripe – this will add more sweetness and make it easier to mash/give you a better texture when you do
  • Mash those bananas! You want to get out all the lumps.
  • Don’t let your chocolate burn.  Just don’t do it.  No one likes wasting chocolate.
  • I say to let your mixture cool before adding your egg.  It doesn’t have to be completely cool, you just don’t want it so hot that it actually starts cooking your egg
  • If you don’t have parchment paper, spray your pan realllllly well!

If you have a question on anything I may have missed feel free to leave a comment below or shoot me a DM on Instagram and I am happy to help!

In addition to the listed ingredients, you will need:

  • an 8×8 baking pan
  • parchment paper or cooking spray
  • two bowls
  • something to stir with.

Enjoy!

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tahini buttercream frosting

Gingerbread Sheet Cake with Maple Tahini Buttercream


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  • Author: Megan
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: one 8x8 pan 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

Gluten Free & Dairy Free Options, Refined Sugar Free

A gingerbread recipe you and your whole family will love!  This gingerbread sheet cake is moist and bursting with holiday flavors, and it is topped with a light tahini (vegan) buttercream frosting


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten free all purpose)
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup chocolate (I used Lily’s gingerbread chocolate bar for extra gingerbread flavor!)
  • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp stevia
  • 1.5 tsp ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • one batch of my maple tahini vegan buttercream

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.
  2. Add your bananas to a bowl and mash until no lumps remain.  Add your molasses and mix.
  3. In a microwave safe bowl, combine your chocolate and coconut oil and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted (Careful not to burn)  Add to your banana mixture and let cool for a couple minutes, then stir in your egg.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, stevia, and remaining spices. Stir well and then add your dry ingredients to your wet and combine.
  5. Pour your mixture into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes, until edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. While this bakes, make your frosting. Wait until the cake has cooled to top.

Notes

If you want your frosting lighter, add more powdered sugar, if you want to adjust any flavors just taste as you go and add what you want!

I have made this using white chocolate and a gingerbread chocolate bar for my mixed in chocolate.  Feel free to use any chocolate you like though!

I have made this recipe with both whole wheat flour and gluten free all purpose, so feel free to use either.

For a dairy free option, use vegan chocolate

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/9 of pan

If you try this recipe please leave a comment below letting me know what you think! If you remake on Instagram don’t forget to tag me at @donutworry_behealthy so I can see your creation and share in my stories!

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