350 Calorie Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Oh my goodness, do you ever just crave that deep, warm hug of winter baking? Forget those light, airy summer treats for a second. I need ginger and molasses and the whole spice cabinet thrown in! This is exactly why I couldn’t wait to share my absolute favorite creation for those cozy days: a super moist **Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream** recipe.

Seriously, don’t let the ‘vegan’ part throw you. I spent ages testing the spice ratios—too much clove and it tastes like perfume! But when you hit that perfect balance of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses in the cake, and then top it with that creamy, aromatic frosting? Wow. It’s rich, it’s decadent, and nobody—and I mean nobody—will ever guess there’s zero dairy or egg in here. We nailed the texture, trust me on this one!

Why This Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream Recipe Works

I know what you might be thinking: vegan cake? Is it going to be dry or crumbly? Absolutely not! I wouldn’t waste your time with anything less than spectacular. This recipe isn’t just ‘good for vegan’; it’s just plain good cake. It’s the perfect seasonal bake.

Here’s why you need to make this your new favorite:

• The cake stays incredibly moist, thanks to that duo of applesauce and molasses. It’s tender, not tough!
• That bold gingerbread spice profile gets a gorgeous, sophisticated upgrade from the chai spice in the buttercream. It’s warming perfection.
• You get that classic, rich flavor you love without worrying about any dairy or eggs. It’s pure, worry-free holiday flavor.

If you love this spiced vibe, you simply must check out my recipe for Vegan Gingerbread Donuts—they use a similar spice blend!

Essential Ingredients for Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Okay, here’s where we get down to brass tacks. Getting the right stuff makes all the difference, especially when you aren’t relying on eggs or butter for structure. I want you to look at this list and make sure you have everything ready to go before you even preheat the oven. Trust me, having everything measured out (what we call mise en place, folks!) stops you from making silly mistakes later.

I’ve broken it down so you know exactly what goes into the cake and what goes into that glorious Chai Buttercream. We’re using standard pantry staples, but the quality of your molasses really shines through here.

If you want to see my general guide on creating killer frosting, check out my thoughts on my Favorite Buttercream Frosting Recipe.

For the Spiced Vegan Gingerbread Cake

This is the heart of the cake, so pay attention to the wet ingredients! If you want that beautiful crumb, you have to make our quick vegan buttermilk:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger (freshly ground brings the best kick!)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened (needs to be genuinely soft, not melty!)
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses (this is non-negotiable for that deep flavor)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (I usually grab soy or oat)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (Mix this with the plant milk and let it sit for 5 minutes—that’s your vegan buttermilk working its magic!)

For the Creamy Chai Buttercream Frosting

This is where the chai spice comes in to elevate the whole experience. Make sure your vegan butter for the frosting is the same consistency as the cake butter—softened and pliable!

• 1 cup powdered sugar (sift this! Nobody likes lumps in their frosting)
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon chai spice blend (make sure it’s a good mix of cardamom, cinnamon, etc.)
• 1 tablespoon plant milk (only if you need to thin it out)

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Alright, let’s get baking! This process is straightforward, but timing, especially when creaming and mixing, is everything if you want that signature moist crumb. You’re going to find that combining the wet and dry ingredients is key here—it’s the secret handshake for any good dairy-free cake.

If you want to see how I handle a similar recipe, my Vegan Banana Cake uses the same creaming principle!

Mixing and Baking the Vegan Gingerbread Cake

First things first: get that oven hot! You need to preheat it right away to 350°F (175°C). While it’s warming up, grease and flour your 8-inch round cake pan. Don’t skip this, or you’ll be crying later!

In a medium bowl, just whisk your dry stuff together: the flour, baking soda, salt, and all those gorgeous spices—ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Set that bowl aside for a minute.

Now for the big mixing bowl! Cream that softened vegan butter and brown sugar together until they look light and fluffy—really work it until you see that color change. Then beat in the molasses and applesauce until everything is swimming happily together, and finish by stirring in the vanilla.

Remember that vegan buttermilk we made? Mix the plant milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and let it curd le away for about five minutes. It gets naturally thick, which is fantastic for tenderness!

Here’s the expert tip to avoid toughness: You must alternate adding your dry mixture and that thickened plant milk mixture into the wet ingredients. Start and end with the dry ingredients. Add a third of the flour mix, stir gently until just combined, pour in half the milk mixture, stir gently, and repeat. Stop mixing the second you see no more white streaks! Overmixing develops gluten, and we want tender cake, not tough bread!

Scrape that beautiful batter into your prepared pan and slide it into the oven. It should take about 30 to 35 minutes. You test it—always test it—by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, you’re golden. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before flipping it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. It *must* be completely cool before you even think about frosting.

Preparing the Chai Buttercream and Assembly

While the cake is chilling out, we whip up the frosting. Use your electric mixer for this part. Beat that remaining 1/2 cup of softened vegan butter until it’s looking creamy and smooth, like silk.

Gradually add the powdered sugar and that crucial chai spice blend, beating it slowly at first so the sugar doesn’t poof everywhere. Keep mixing until it’s smooth and beautiful. If your frosting seems way too stiff to spread—maybe your butter was a smidge too cold—add a tiny splash—just a teaspoon!—of plant milk until it’s spreadable. Don’t add too much or it gets runny.

Once the cake is stone cold (I mean it, cold!), spread that marvelous Chai Buttercream all over the top evenly. Slice it up and enjoy the aroma!

Tips for the Perfect Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Honestly, baking is mostly about knowing those little tricks that experienced cooks just absorb over time. Since you’re making a dairy-free cake, the room temperature game is essential, especially for the vegan butter in both the cake and the frosting. If it’s too cold, it won’t cream properly, and you’ll end up with a dense cake or a lumpy frosting.

Speaking of that amazing frosting—for a really intense flavor punch, try this trick: take one chai tea bag and steep it in about two tablespoons of hot water for five minutes. Let that liquid cool down completely, and then swirl in about a teaspoon of the steeped liquid into your buttercream. Wow! That concentrates the flavor so beautifully! If you love those chai spices, you might want to try my Vegan Gingerbread Latte Recipe for a cozy drink pairing.

Remember, the molasses is what makes this cake gorgeous and dark. Don’t substitute it unless you absolutely have to, because you’ll lose that signature deep gingerbread note!

Ingredient Notes and Substitution Options

I want to talk about ingredients, because this is where the magic—or the flop—happens! We talked about molasses being the key for that deep, dark gingerbread profile. Now, I know some people have trouble sourcing molasses, or maybe they just prefer maple syrup. Go ahead and substitute it if you must—use maple syrup instead—but you need to know what you’re sacrificing.

Maple syrup is beautiful and sweet, yes, but it brings a completely different, lighter flavor. Your cake will be sweeter, but it won’t have that signature spicy, slightly smoky undertone that molasses brings to the party. It’s a trade-off, so choose wisely!

Also, a quick word on temperature: for both the cake emulsion and the final buttercream, everything needs to be friendly with each other. That means your vegan butter needs to be truly ‘room temperature’—soft enough to press a finger into easily, without looking like melted oil. When your ingredients are near the same temp, they combine so much better, creating a smoother batter and a frosting that doesn’t look broken or grainy.

Storing Your Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Nobody wants a beautiful cake to go bad too fast, right? Luckily, gingerbread cake tends to hang around longer than some of those delicate sponge cakes, partly because of all that wonderful molasses we used. It’s definitely one of those cakes that tastes even better the next day, once the spices have really settled in!

When it comes to storing, you have an option depending on how warm your house is or how long you need to keep it. Because we are using a vegan buttercream frosting, which generally holds up better than a dairy one, you have some flexibility.

If you plan on eating the whole **Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream** within two days, leaving it on the counter is perfectly fine! Just make sure it’s completely covered. Use a sealed cake dome or place it under a large, inverted bowl to keep the air off the frosting and stop it from drying out. Room temperature lets the cake and the chai aroma stay softer, which I prefer.

But let’s say you need it to last a bit longer—say, up to five days. I always recommend the fridge for anything over 48 hours, especially if your kitchen runs warm. Pop that covered cake into the refrigerator. It’s fine in there, but here’s the super important part about refrigeration: never serve it straight from the fridge!

When cold, the vegan butter in the cake will firm up, making the whole slice hard and slightly stiff. You absolutely must pull it out of the fridge at least two hours before you plan on serving it. Let it sit on the counter to come back up to room temperature. That warmth brings the texture right back to soft, moist perfection. You’ll be so happy you waited the extra two hours!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream

Can I make this Vegan Gingerbread Cake gluten-free?

That’s a great question! You absolutely can adapt this! If you need a gluten-free version, I recommend substituting the all-purpose flour with a good quality gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend that already contains xanthan gum. Since this cake relies heavily on the molasses and applesauce for moisture, switching the flour can sometimes change how much liquid it absorbs. You might need to add just an extra tiny splash of plant milk during the alternating mixing stage, so keep that extra tablespoon handy just in case!

My buttercream frosting looks split or grainy—what happened?

Oh no, the dreaded split frosting! This almost always happens because the vegan butter and the powdered sugar weren’t happy together temperature-wise. If your vegan butter was too cold, the sugar grains won’t dissolve evenly, leaving it gritty. If the butter was too warm, it can look oily and broken. The fix is usually patience! If it’s splitting, try beating it on medium-low speed—not high—and slowly incorporate one teaspoon of room-temperature plant milk at a time until it comes back together into a smooth, creamy consistency. If you want more frosting tips, check out my guide on Vegan Funfetti Cake with Vanilla Buttercream; the emulsion rules are the same!

What kind of plant milk works best for this recipe?

I prefer soy milk or oat milk, honestly. Soy milk has a slightly higher protein content, which mimics the structure of regular milk really well, especially when mixed with the apple cider vinegar to make that vegan buttermilk. Oat milk gives you fantastic richness. The main thing is to ensure it’s an *unsweetened* variety so you aren’t adding extra sugar that messes with the spice balance. Almond milk can sometimes be a bit too watery for the cake structure, but it usually works fine in a pinch for thinning out the frosting!

Can I make a big batch of the gingerbread cake and freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze the cake layers beautifully! Once the cake is completely cool and not frosted, wrap it super tightly—first in plastic wrap, and then wrap it again in aluminum foil. This double layer prevents freezer burn and keeps that wonderful spiced smell locked in. It keeps great for about three months. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw it in the fridge overnight, then let it sit on the counter for an hour to come to room temperature before applying your Chai Buttercream!

Estimated Nutritional Snapshot

Okay, let’s talk numbers for a second. When you’re baking something this rich and delicious, it’s good to have a general idea of what you’re diving into! We use rich brown sugar and molasses, so naturally, this isn’t a light little snack, but honestly, every single calorie is worth it for that warming spice combination.

Here is the estimated snapshot for one slice of this amazing **Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream**:

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 350
• Sugar: 45g
• Sodium: 250mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Protein: 4g

Now, keep in mind this is just an estimate based on general ingredient calculations. Your numbers might look slightly different depending on the exact brand of vegan butter you use, or exactly how much molasses you managed to scrape out of the jar! But trust me, the joy this cake brings far outweighs any counting.

Share Your Spiced Baking Creations

I truly hope this recipe brings as much cozy warmth to your kitchen as it does to mine every single time I make it. There is nothing better than that smell of ginger and spice filling the house, knowing you’ve created something wonderful and completely vegan!

I pour my heart into perfecting these recipes, and I learn so much from hearing how they turn out for you all. So please, if you whip up this stunning **Vegan Gingerbread Cake Chai Buttercream**, don’t keep it a secret!

I want to see your beautiful bakes! Take a picture and tag me on social media—I always try to peek at everyone’s creations. And if you loved the deep spice flavor, you absolutely have to check out my recipe for Irresistible Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Rolls; they use a similar warming spice mix!

Did you make any fun tweaks? Did you find the perfect chai blend? Drop a star rating right here on the site and leave a comment below. Tell me about your experience—was the frosting too stiff? Did your cake come out perfectly moist? Your feedback helps other bakers feel confident when they tackle this recipe next.

Happy baking, everyone! I can’t wait to hear all about your spiced cakes!

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