Yield: 12 servings
Gingerbread Cake
This festive Gingerbread Cake recipe is soft, moist, and generously spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and molasses. Each layer is frosted with a cinnamon cream cheese frosting that takes it over the top!
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup molasses
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup whole milk
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 oz (1 1/2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 cups powdered sugar
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine molasses, melted butter, and sugar. Add applesauce, egg, and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.
- Beat in flour mixture alternating with oil and milk. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cake layers to cool completely in baking pan before frosting!
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat on low speed until combined. Then beat on high speed, until frosting is smooth, light and fluffy.
- Assemble the two layers of gingerbread cake with a thick layer of frosting in between. Optional: Then apply a thin crumb coat of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Place cake in a freezer to harden frosting for about 10 minutes. A 'crumb coat' is a thin layer of frosting that helps to prevent any crumbs from showing up in the final icing layer.
- Apply one final thick and even layer around the outside of cake. Decorate as desired, then slice and serve cake immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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Notes
Store: Store the cake, or layers of cake, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Before serving, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to an hour, for the best texture.
Freeze: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Make-Ahead: Bake the cake up to two days in advance. Wrap each layer tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate. You can also prepare the frosting ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Frost the cake the day of serving for the freshest taste. Allow the frosting to rest on the counter for one hour, then beat it with mixer to make it nice and fluffy again before frosting cake.
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Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 845kcal, Carbohydrates: 119g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 98mg, Sodium: 348mg, Potassium: 532mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 97g, Vitamin A: 1041IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 122mg, Iron: 3mg