The first ribbon of orange glaze should pause on the crown before it trails down the sides. I start with less juice than I think I need, because a thick glaze stays where I put it instead of disappearing into the cake. These Yule Ginger Orange Spice Cakes have the soft, close crumb I want from a little molasses cake, with a bright orange finish that keeps the spices from feeling heavy.
I bake them in paper-lined muffin cups, which makes the cakes easy to portion and gives each one its own neat shape. The ginger comes through warmly, while cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg give the crumb a rounded spice note. Once the glaze sets, each bite has a sweet citrus edge against that deeper molasses flavor.
Kitchen Note
Use an egg at room temperature rather than one straight from the refrigerator. It blends into the creamed butter and sugar more smoothly, so the mixture stays cohesive when you add the molasses.
Save these Yule Ginger Orange Spice Cakes for a bake with warm ginger, molasses, and a bright orange glaze.
Why This Cake Uses Both Ground and Fresh Ginger
Ground ginger spreads a steady warmth through the whole crumb. Freshly grated ginger brings a brighter, sharper note that you notice in little fragrant flecks. They do different jobs, so one isn’t a direct stand-in for the other; together they make the ginger taste layered rather than flat.
Grate the peeled fresh ginger finely so it disperses through the batter instead of leaving stringy pieces in a bite. The ground spices belong in the flour mixture, where whisking them thoroughly helps keep any one cake from getting a pocket of cinnamon or cloves. That balance is especially useful in a small cake: the spice should be present from the first bite without overpowering the molasses.
How Molasses, Orange, and the Dry Ingredients Shape These Cakes
- Unsulfured molasses — It gives the cakes their dark, rounded sweetness and helps keep the crumb moist. Dark unsulfured molasses works as a one-for-one swap if you want a deeper taste; ordinary supermarket molasses is fine, so there’s no need to seek out a specialty brand.
- All-purpose flour and baking soda — Flour builds the cake’s structure, while baking soda reacts with the acidic molasses to help the cakes rise. Regular store-brand flour works well here. Don’t swap in self-rising flour, since its added leavener would change how the batter rises.
- Unsalted butter and light brown sugar — Softened butter creams with the sugar and helps give the cakes a tender, even texture. If salted butter is what you have, use it and leave out the kosher salt; the cakes will still have plenty of flavor.
- Orange zest and juice — Finely grated zest brings fragrant orange oils into the batter, while juice gives the glaze its citrus flavor and workable consistency. A fresh orange is most useful for the zest; bottled juice is a practical option for the glaze.
- Egg — It helps bind the batter and supports its structure. A large egg is the right size for this batch; a smaller egg can leave the batter short on moisture and richness.
From Spiced Batter to a Glaze That Sets
Whisk the spices into the flour
Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and kosher salt until the spices look evenly distributed. Break up any small clumps as you whisk. A uniform dry mixture makes it easier to mix the batter without overworking it later.
Cream the butter, then build the molasses base
Beat the softened butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the egg, then add the molasses, orange zest, and finely grated fresh ginger, mixing until smooth. Scrape the bowl if streaks of butter or molasses cling to the sides. The mixture should look cohesive before the flour goes in.
Alternate the flour mixture and hot water
Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the hot water in two additions; begin and end with flour. Mix on low speed just until the last streaks of flour disappear. If you keep beating after the batter comes together, the cakes can turn dense, so stop as soon as it’s combined. Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Bake, cool, and finish with orange glaze
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and let them cool completely. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons orange juice, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time as needed for a thick, drizzle-able glaze. Drizzle it over the cooled cakes and leave them for 15 minutes, until the glaze sets.
Two Simple Ways to Adapt These Ginger Orange Cakes
Make a gluten-free batch
Replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that includes xanthan gum. The cakes may have a slightly more delicate crumb, so let them cool in the pan before moving them to the rack.
Keep the spice gentler
Leave out the cloves and nutmeg for a softer, simpler spice flavor, with ginger and cinnamon still leading. The cakes will taste less peppery and aromatic, but the molasses and orange will still come through.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store the glazed cakes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The glaze may soften a little in the container.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled cakes without glaze, wrapped individually and placed in an airtight container, for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then glaze.
- Reheating: These cakes are best served at room temperature and don’t need reheating. Warming glazed cakes can melt the orange glaze and make it run.
Questions That Come Up With These Spice Cakes
Yule Ginger Orange Spice Cakes
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy.
- Beat in the egg, then the molasses, orange zest, and fresh ginger until smooth.
- Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the hot water in 2 additions and beginning and ending with the flour mixture; mix on low just until combined.
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons orange juice until smooth, adding more juice a teaspoon at a time as needed for a thick, drizzle-able glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cakes.
- Let stand for 15 minutes, until set.
