Gingerbread Cake

Table of Contents

1. Gingerbread Cake Ingredients
2. Substitutions And Additions
3. How To Make This Gingerbread Cake Recipe
4. How To Serve
5. Storage
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. More Recipes You’ll Love
8. JUMP TO RECIPE

This rich, dense, old-fashioned gingerbread cake is the perfect dessert for the holidays. The moist, delicious cake is baked from scratch with molasses, sugar, and spices, then topped with a homemade tangy cream cheese frosting.

Gingerbread Cake Ingredients

You’ll need:

For The Cake:

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

For The Frosting:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup of salted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup of molasses
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 4-5 cups of powdered sugar
• ¼ cup of heavy cream (or milk)
• Gingersnaps and/or sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Substitutions And Additions

FROSTING: You can skip the frosting if you prefer and serve your gingerbread layer cake with fresh homemade whipped cream if you’d prefer.

CARAMEL: Drizzle some rich, sweet caramel sauce on top before serving.

How To Make This Gingerbread Cake Recipe

For The Cake

STEP ONE: 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.

STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and baking powder. Set dry ingredients aside.

STEP THREE: Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl using a hand mixer.

STEP FOUR: Add the eggs and beat until the cake batter is fluffy. Add the molasses and beat with a mixer until fully incorporated.

STEP FIVE: Beginning and ending with the milk, alternate adding the milk and flour mixture until fully combined and fluffy.

STEP SIX: Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.

STEP SEVEN: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

STEP EIGHT: Remove pans and cool for ten minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans to cooling racks and let the cake cool completely.

For The Frosting

STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until combined.

STEP TWO: Add the molasses and cinnamon and beat until fluffy.

STEP THREE: Add in four cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. The mixture will be thick.

STEP FOUR: Drizzle one to two 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 as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Cake Assembly

STEP ONE: Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.

STEP TWO: Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the first cake layer and spread it smoothly to the edges.

STEP THREE: Place the second cake layer top-side down on top of the frosting. Press down gently to seal the layers together.

STEP FOUR: 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.

STEP FIVE: Decorate with gingersnaps and/or sprinkles. 

STEP SIX: Refrigerate the ginger cake or freeze it until ready to serve.

How To Serve

This perfect cake would be delicious any time of year and especially during the holiday season.

Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a warm mug of homemade hot chocolate.

Be sure to try our classic gingerbread fudge and these gingerbread cookies as well to satisfy your craving!

Storage

IN THE FRIDGE: You can store this flavorful gingerbread cake covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to a week.

IN THE FREEZER: You can store this moist cake in an airtight container for up to a month.

If you’re planning to freeze it, I would suggest baking the cake layers and freezing and then preparing the frosting fresh before serving.

When you’re ready to enjoy the cake, thaw the layers and then proceed with the frosting and assembly instructions.

This classic moist gingerbread cake is a family favorite for the holidays. With a rich, moist batter and creamy, delicious frosting, this homemade dessert is perfect for serving at Christmas.

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