Every now and then, you stumble upon an old recipe from an unknown source that’s so peculiar that you simply must try it. Most of them aren’t up to today’s standards but thankfully this Gingerbread Cake turned out perfectly!
So what makes this gingerbread cake unique? Well I think it’s because it calls for ingredients you would not expect in a gingerbread cake like instant coffee, orange juice and Coca-Cola. Make sure you use “full sugar” cola and not diet or sugar-free cola.
I also recommend using pulp-free orange juice regardless of what brand you use. Or even better, since you have to zest an orange you can use the juice from it for this recipe. One large orange will give you all the zest and juice you need for this cake recipe.
I used a square pan this time, but feel free to use a round cake pan if you’d rather. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you could even make cupcakes! Just keep an eye on the baking time if you switch pans, as it might need a bit of adjustment.
I like to eat this cake with a dollop of whipped topping but that is totally up to you. My wife thinks it would also be good with some ice cream but personally I am not a fan of ice cream and cake. I think a cream cheese frosting or even a caramel sauce would be awesome. Or how about a dusting of powdered sugar?
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Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Gingerbread Cake recipe. For ingredient amounts please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Gingerbread Mix – I use Betty Crocker brand but you can use whatever brand you want (if you can find any other brand)
- Instant Coffee – adds just a hint of coffee flavor to the cake
- Orange Zest – you will need about one large orange
- Orange Juice – I prefer to use pulp-free orange juice for this cake recipe
- Coca-Cola – you can use any brand of cola you want but try not to use diet or sugar-free cola
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch pan.
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until well blended.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to a wire rack.
- Optionally serve with whipped topping.
Printable Recipe Card
Deluxe Gingerbread Cake
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Ingredients
- 14 oz Gingerbread Mix
- 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee
- 1 Tbsp Orange Zest
- ¼ Cup Orange Juice
- ¾ Cup Coca Cola
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch pan.
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix with a hand mixer until well blended.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the pan to a wire rack.
- Optionally serve with whipped topping.
