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Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread cake is rich and moist, combining warm spices with the irresistible taste of molasses, before being topped with a homemade tangy cream cheese frosting.
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Prep Time 50 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cool Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

Gingerbread Cake

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk

Frosting

  • ½ cup salted butter softened
  • 16 ounces cream cheese softened (two 8-ounce packages)
  • ⅓ cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
  • Gingersnaps and/or sprinkles for decorating optional

Instructions
 

Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark/non-stick pans). Line the bottom of two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  • Cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer.
  • Add the eggs and beat until the batter is fluffy.
  • Add the molasses and beat with a mixer until fully incorporated.
  • Beginning and ending with the milk, alternate adding the milk and flour mixture until fully combined and fluffy.
  • Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove the pans and cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

Frosting

  • Beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until combined.
  • Add the molasses and cinnamon and beat until fluffy.
  • Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. The mixture will be thick.
  • Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream into the frosting mixture while beating until the frosting is fluffy and has a spreadable consistency. Add additional powdered sugar or cream to achieve the desired consistency.

Assembly

  • Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.
  • Place the first cake layer top side up onto the serving platter.
  • Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread it smoothly to the edges.
  • Place the second cake layer top side down on top of the filling. Press down gently to seal the layers together.
  • Mound another pile of frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.
  • Decorate with gingersnaps and/or sprinkles.
  • Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Notes

I used 9-inch round pans for this gingerbread recipe. For a taller cake, you could also use seven or eight-inch round pans.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don't have any lumps in your creamy frosting.