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    Home » Cakes

    Easy German Gingerbread Cake (Gewürzkuchen)

    Published: Nov 24, 2021 · Modified: Jan 22, 2025 by Marita Sinden · 6 Comments

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    German Gingerbread Cake on a chopping board
    German Gingerbread Cake on a cake stand
    German Gingerbread Cake on a Cake stand and on a chopping board

    This spiced and moist German gingerbread cake is a variation of the classic Lebkuchen cookies. A traditional Lebkuchen cake, that is quick and easy to put together is a family holiday classic for Christmas.

    German gingerbread cake decorated with almonds on a chopping board that is set on a white backgorund
    Jump to:
    • What is German Gingerbread Cake?
    • How to make it
    • Recipe Variations
    • How to serve
    • Storage Instructions
    • Interested in German Christmas?
    • More German Christmas Baking Recipes
    • Recipe

    What is German Gingerbread Cake?

    This gingerbread cake is often called Gewürzkuchen in German. Gewürz is the German word for "spices". You pronounce Gewürzkuchen as GE-WOR-TS-COOK-EN.

    Another name for this cake is Lebkuchen cake. Lebkuchen is the German word for gingerbread and it appears in a range of different cakes and cookies in Germany. The characteristic of these cakes is that they are flavoured with a strong spice mixture, called Lebkuchengewürz.

    This Lebkuchen cake is made of simple sponge dough, flavoured with a Lebkuchen spice mix, topped with a thin layer of chocolate. The Lebkuchen spice mixes contain cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, coriander, cardamom, ginger, anise and allspice. See here my recipe for homemade Lebkuchen spice.

    This German spice cake is typically eaten in winter around Christmas time. It is a lot more moister than the typical German Lebkuchen and has a lighter texture. It is a simple chocolate gingerbread cake that is not overly sweet but full of flavour.

    Gewürzkuchen on a chopping board which sits on a red tea towel. Christmas decorations are surrounding it and you can see a jar of gingerbread spice

    How to make it

    Ingredients:

    • 4 medium eggs
    • 230 g caster sugar
    • 2 teaspoon vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link)
    • 150 g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
    • 350 g flour (Germany type 405, UK Plain flour, USA Pastry Flour)
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder (affiliate link)
    • 1 pinch of salt
    • 30 g unsweetened cocoa (affiliate link)
    • 250 ml milk
    • 150 g ground almonds (affiliate link)
    • 4 teaspoons gingerbread spice. For the most authentic flavour I recommend our homemade lebkuchen spice

    For the glaze and decoration

    • 150 g dark chocolate glaze
    • 50 g whole almonds

    Recipe Steps:

    1. Preheat your oven to 180°C or 356°F top to bottom heat.
    2. Line a baking tray (30 x 40 cm / 12 x 17 inches) (affiliate link) with baking parchment and grease the edges with butter.
    3. Using a handmixer or stand mixer combine the eggs with the sugar, vanilla sugar, butter and mix until creamy. (This should take about 5 minutes)
    4. Combine the flour, baking powder (affiliate link) and cocoa in a bowl. Using a flour sieve, sieve the flour mixture into the dough. This will make your gingerbread cake light and fluffy, as it adds air to the dough. Pour in the milk and add the salt, lebkuchen spice / gingerbread spice and ground almonds (affiliate link). Mix until you achieve a smooth dough.
    Gingerbread Recipe Steps collage of 4 images. 1. Eggs and sugar are mixed together. 2 flour and cocoa powder are being sieved in the dough. 4. All ingridients are being mixed to a smooth dough. 4. The dough is being spread into a backing tin
    1. Pour or spread the dough with a pallet knife into the prepared baking tray. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. The exact baking time varies by oven. To check if the dough is done, use a stewer to prick the cake in the middle. If it comes out clean, it is done.
    2. Leave to cool completely before decorating.
    3. In the meantime, place a some water (500 ml/ 16 fl oz) in a saucepan and add the raw almonds. Bring the water to boil and cook the almonds for around 2 minutes before removing them with a sieve. Rinse in cold water. The skin of the almonds should now simply slip off.
    4. Melt the dark chocolate glaze in a water bath. Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled cake, and spread evenly with a pallet knife.
    5. Before the glaze hardens, place the almonds in an X formation on the dark chocolate (see image). Leave to cool. Once the cake is cooled you can slice the cakes into rectangles or squares.
    Lebkuchen Cake Recipe Steps Collage of 4 images. 1. Almonds being boiled in water. 2. almonds being skinned. 3. chocolate glaze is being melted in a waterbath. 4. Decorated Gingerbread Cake slices

    Recipe Variations

    • Instead of baking this cake in a sheet try, you can use a loaf form. You will need to bake the cake for longer, approx an hour.
    • Replace the ground almonds (affiliate link) with ground hazelnuts (affiliate link) if you wish
    • To make the cake extra chocolaty, you can add 100 g of dark chocolate drops into the dough.
    • Instead of the dark chocolate glaze you can also prepare a lebkuchen icing. Here you used 150 g icing /confectioners sugar (sieved), 1 teaspoon Lebkuchen spice and 5 tablespoons of milk. Mix together and you will get a lovely white glaze.
    • Decorate the cake with festive sugar sprinkles instead of the almonds. The almonds are the more traditional way of decorating them.
    German Gingerbread Cake on a plate In the background  there are more slices on a cake stand t hat sits on a red twel

    How to serve

    This cake is served in Germany in the afternoon with a cup of tea or coffee and orange juice for the children. I have seen some people have whipped cream to go with the cake, but this is just optional.

    Storage Instructions

    This cake will stay good for up to three days. Store in the fridge, or at room temperature, in an airtight container. So it is suitable for preparing ahead. At least a day in advance, and your guests will still enjoy this moist pound cake.

    This German gingerbread cake is perfect for freezing. In an airtight container, it will last up to three months.

    Interested in German Christmas?

    • Read my Guide on German Christmas Food.
    • Discover all about German Christmas Market Food
    • And see all of our Christmas Recipes

    More German Christmas Baking Recipes

    • Marzipan Cookies
    • Lebkuchenherzen Recipe - German Gingerbread Hearts
    • German Butter Cookies
    • Vanillakipferl
    • Baiser Cookies (Germen Merengue Cookies)
    • Kokusmakronen (German Coconut Macaroons)
    • Spitzbuben (German Jam Cookies)
    • German Stollen Recipe (German Christmas Cake)
    • Bethmännchen (Almond Marzipan Cookies)

    Recipe

    three slices on german gingerbread cake on a chopping board that sits on a red towel.

    Easy German Gingerbread Cake (Gewürzkuchen)

    Marita
    This lebkuchen spiced and moist German Gingerbread cake is a variation of the classic Lebkuchen cookies. A traditional Lebkuchen cake, that is quick and easy to put together as a family holiday classic for Christmas.
    5 from 6 votes
    I look forward to your feedback. Just click the stars above.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 25 minutes mins
    Total Time 40 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine German
    Servings 8 people
    Calories 583 kcal

    Equipment

    •  baking tray (30 x 40 cm / 12 x 17 inches)

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 4 eggs medium size, at room temperature
    • 250 g granulated sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 150 g butter at room temperature
    • 350 g all-purpose flour (Germany type 405, UK Plain flour, USA Pastry Flour)
    • 2 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 2 tablespoon unsweetend cocoa
    • 250 ml milk
    • 4 teaspoon gingerbread spice For the most authentic flavour I recommend our homemade lebkuchen spice

    For the glaze

    • 150 g dark chocolate glaze
    • 50 g whole almonds
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 180°C or 356°F top to bottom heat.
    • Line a baking tray (30 x 40 cm / 12 x 17 inches) (affiliate link) with baking parchment and grease the edges with butter.
    • Using a hand or stand mixer, combine the eggs with the sugar, vanilla extract (affiliate link), and butter until creamy. (This should take about 5 minutes.)
      4 eggs, 250 g granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (affiliate link), 150 g butter
    • Combine the flour, baking powder (affiliate link), salt, and cocoa in a bowl. Sieve the flour mixture into the dough. This will make your gingerbread cake light and fluffy, adding air to the dough. Pour in the milk, gingerbread spice, and ground almonds (affiliate link). Mix until you achieve a smooth dough.
      350 g all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder (affiliate link), 1 pinch salt, 2 tablespoon unsweetend cocoa, 250 ml milk, 4 teaspoon gingerbread spice
    • Pour or spread the dough with a pallet knife into the prepared baking tray. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes. The exact baking time varies by oven. To check if the dough is done, prick a skewer in the middle. If it comes out clean, it is done.
    • Leave to cool completely before decorating.
    • In the meantime, place a little water (500 ml/ 16 fl oz)in a saucepan and add the raw almonds. Bring the water to a boil and cook the almonds for around 2 minutes before removing them using a sieve. Rinse in cold water. The skin of the almonds should now simply slip off.
    • Melt the dark chocolate glaze in a water bath or microwave. Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled cake and spread evenly with a pallet knife.
      150 g dark chocolate glaze
    • Before the glaze hardens, place the almonds in an X formation on the dark chocolate.
      50 g whole almonds
    • Leave to cool. Once the cake is cooled, slice it into rectangles or squares.

    Notes

    I strongly recommend you to refer to the full post for step by step recipe photos. 

    Recipe Variations

    • Instead of baking this cake in a sheet tray, you can use a loaf form. You will need to bake the cake for longer, approx an hour.
    • Replace the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts if you wish
    • To make the cake extra chocolaty, you can add 100 g of dark chocolate drops into the dough.
    • Instead of the dark chocolate glaze, you can also prepare a lebkuchen icing. Here you used 150 g icing /confectioners sugar (sieved), 1 teaspoon Lebkuchen spice and 5 tablespoons of milk. Mix together and you will get a lovely white glaze.
    • Decorate the cake with festive sugar sprinkles instead of almonds. The almonds are the more traditional way of decorating them.

    Storage Instructions

    This cake will stay good for up to three days. Store in the fridge or at room temperature in an airtight container. So it is suitable for preparing ahead. At least a day in advance, and your guests will still enjoy this moist pound cake.
    This German gingerbread cake is perfect for freezing. In an airtight container, it will last up to three months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 583kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 12gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 130mgPotassium: 211mgFiber: 6gSugar: 32gVitamin A: 526IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 4mg
    Keyword Easy gingerbread cake, German gingerbread cake, Gewürzkuchen, Lebkuchen cake
    Did you make this recipe? I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Please leave a quick Comment and star rating. I appreciate your feedback.

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    Comments

      5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Janice says

      December 17, 2021 at 2:55 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious, all my favourite flavours.

      Reply
    2. Sharon Howard says

      December 04, 2021 at 3:06 pm

      There are no eggs mentioned in list of ingredients ....how many needed?

      Reply
      • Marita says

        December 04, 2021 at 3:37 pm

        Sharon, I am so sorry! It is 4 eggs and I corrected the recipe. Apologies I will try to be better next time.

        Marita

        Reply
    3. Mihaela | https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says

      November 27, 2021 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      I prefer a chocolate glaze to the white one, so I will follow your recipe this year!

      Reply
    4. Joanna says

      November 25, 2021 at 5:34 am

      5 stars
      This recipe brings back so many memories from the wonderful Christmas markets in Germany and Austria. As soon as the Covid us eradicated i must spend another Christmas over there and until then I’ll be using your recipes to bring a little Germany to this dude of the Atlantic.

      Reply
    5. Jere Cassidy says

      November 25, 2021 at 5:07 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for translating all the German culinary terms, as I am curious as to their meanings. Your cake looks amazing and I would have never thought to top it with a chocolate frosting, but that looks so good. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Marita

    Food enthusiast & home cook. I returned to Germany after living in the UK for 20 years. Here at My Dinner, you will find traditional and authentic German recipes with cultural backgrounds.

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