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Chickpea flour gingerbread Bundt cake is a holiday miracle! It is vegan, grain-free, gluten-free, and easy to make with pantry ingredients. No one will guess that is made from chickpeas.
Table of Contents
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread for the Holidays & Beyond
- Chickpea Flour for Grain-Free Vegan Baking
- Recipe Benefits
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- Does the Cake Taste Like Chickpeas?
- Storage for the Cake
- More Grain-Free & Vegan Chickpea Flour Cakes & Baked Goods to Try:
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake (Vegan, Grain-free) Recipe
Chickpea Flour Gingerbread for the Holidays & Beyond
How about a lovely holiday cake that you can share with all kinds of friends, including those who do not eat eggs, dairy, gluten, or even grains? Some kind of Christmas magic, right? It’s my Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake!
Chickpea Flour for Grain-Free Vegan Baking
Have you used chickpea flour? It can also be labeled garbanzo bean flour or besan. It is simply dried chickpeas that have been ground into an ultra-fine flour that you can use for all kinds of baking.
Here’s what’s really special about chickpea flour: it can be used as both a flour and as eggs! Really! Chickpea flour, combined with water , can be used as an egg replacement in some recipes. In some baking recipes, like my cake, it serves a dual role as flour and eggs.
IGood news: unlike many gluten-free flours, chickpea flour is very inexpensive. So grab a bag and experiment. This cake is a perfect place to begin.
Recipe Benefits
This wonderful holiday cake is:
- Vegan (no eggs, no dairy)
- Grain-free
- Gluten-free
- Easy-to-make
- High in fiber
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- chickpea flour, (sifted, as needed, to remove lumps)
- ground ginger
- ground cinnamon
- baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- ground nutmeg
- baking soda
- salt
- cloves
- coconut oil, (or your preferred oil)
- boiling water
- coconut sugar, (or dark brown sugar)
- unsweetened applesauce
- dark molasses, (not blackstrap; it is too bitter)
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Spray a 10-inch (25 cm) Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil and boiling water until the oil is melted. Add the coconut sugar, applesauce, and molasses, whisking until blended.
- Add the chickpea flour mixture to the sugar mixture, whisking until blended and smooth. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until a long skewer inserted in a deep part of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let cool 15 minutes before inverting on a rack to remove the cake. Cool completely. Dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Does the Cake Taste Like Chickpeas?
No, not in the least! The cake does not have the slightest flavor of chickpeas. The key is the strong flavors in the cake: molasses, coconut sugar, and a panoply of spices. All that you will taste is delicious gingerbread.
Storage for the Cake
Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Happy baking!
More Grain-Free & Vegan Chickpea Flour Cakes & Baked Goods to Try:
- Chickpea Flour Chocolate Cake
- Chickpea Flour Carrot Cake Bites
- Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins
- Chickpea Flour Banana Bread
- Chickpea Flour Banana Cake
- 1-Bowl Chickpea Flour Brownies
Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake (Vegan, Grain-free)
Equipment
- 1 10-inch Bundt pan
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups chickpea flour, (sifted, as needed, to remove lumps)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, (or your preferred oil)
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 1.33 cups coconut sugar, (or dark brown sugar)
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup dark molasses, (not blackstrap; it is too bitter)
- Optional: confectioner’s sugar, for dusting the cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Spray a 10-inch (25 cm) Bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and cloves.
- In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil and boiling water until the oil is melted. Add the coconut sugar, applesauce, and molasses, whisking until blended.
- Add the chickpea flour mixture to the sugar mixture, whisking until blended and smooth. Pour into the prepared Bundt pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until a long skewer inserted in a deep part of the cake comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let cool 15 minutes before inverting on a rack to remove the cake. Cool completely. Dust the cooled cake with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Looking forward to trying this ginger bundle cake. Would it work out ok with another neutral oil in place of coconut oil?
Hi Donna! Yes, you can definitely use a different oil 🙂
Another OUTSTANDING recipe, Camilla! We had our son and DIL with us all day yesterday: son to help dad with some heavy garden work and DIL wanted to learn how to make jam. So I made this and, naturally, a batch of your fab almond and coconut flour biscotti yesterday to keep the workers fuelled in between meal breaks. All w!as devoured – and all the work got done :). Many thanks for these great recipes
So very happy to hear that this was such a success, Julie! It is one I created in the way, way back when I was first learning about chickpea flour, so I am so glad it has stood the test of time 🙂
Brilliant recipe! Thank you! I had trouble finding molasses so I replaced them with prunes chopped up finely. I’ve since thought of using dates too? Has anyone tried this? The cake has a lovely ginger flavour. For those who have made it, do you think molasses makes a big difference?
Ooh, I love prunes, that is so clever, Sarah! The molasses definitely gives a more traditional, deep-caramel flavor (prunes have a fruitier flavor).
Can I use pumpkin puree instead of the applesauce?
I think that should work fine, RC. If the pumpkin puree is really thick, you may need to thin it a little bit with water or nondairy milk.
I didn’t have molasses so used maple syrup. Came out great! Next time I’ll get the molasses to add that deeper flavour. First time making a sweet chickpea flour recipe, I like it!
Amasing!!!I just made this recipe with my kids today and turn out really good! We used chickpea flour for everything in Indian cooking, I never though of using it in a cake like this. Loved it! Gratitude!
Whoohoo! So pleased to hear it, Karina–and thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Wow, this is indeed awesome! I made a half batch with my kids today, in two mini loaf pans, and it worked so, so beautifully. The flavor was great, but what I really loved was the bold spices. It is really gingerbread! I also love that this uses chickpea flour and not a huge amount of sugar. Thanks for the fantastic recipe! We’ll make this again!
WOW!!! Thanks so much for the feedback, Amy! 🙂
xxoo
I just made these yesterday, and it turned out really delicious. I can’t eat coconut products right now, so I substituted melted vegan butter for the coconut oil and used the brown sugar option. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad this worked for you, Katie! 🙂
Hi, I just found this recipe doing a search for cakes made with chickpea flour. This is wonderful. I love that it is grain-free and I love the spices.
It tasts even better the second and third day, the sign of a great gingerbread, so good! I’m going to check out the rest of your blog.
Thanks! Elizabeth
So pleased you made and liked it, Sandy!
The most amazing gingerbread cake I’ve ever made, and my whole family (doffernt dietary needs) can eat!. We just finished the last slices an hour ago and couldn’t wait to post and say THANK YOU!
This is a great cake! I varied the recipe because we did not have enough chickpea flour, so we did about 2/3 amounts of everything. It still came out great, baked in cupcakes at 350 for about 15 minutes. Great for making with kids. My 4 year old loved making them together!
Camilla,
I’ve been hankering for gingerbread! Thanks for the recipe. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas!
Camilla,
I never would have dreamed of gingerbread made with chickpea flour. What is the texture of the cake? I am intrigued.
I used your recipe tonight for last minute gingerbread cupcakes for a morning school party (no nuts, eggs allowed, several kids need gluten-free). It worked great! The batter was so yummy.
I have been reading your blog for a few months now and I must say I love your recipes (so much so that your new soup book is on my Christmas wish list).
Thank you for this innovative cake recipe – I will be baking with my 6 year old niece this weekend and thiswill be perfect!
Lovely recipe. I may have to try it if i can get my hands on some chickpea flour.