Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings: -18 pieces

This moist Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for the holidays. It’s packed with cozy favors like ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, and molasses.

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake

1 cup molasses*
3/4 cup boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger use 3 tsp for a stronger ginger flavor
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil canola works too
3/4 cup brown sugar packed
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
8 oz brick-style cream cheese softened
3 - 3.5 cups powdered sugar sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 tablespoons cream as needed
fresh cranberries and mint leaves for decoration (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Gingerbread Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large measuring cup, gently stir together the molasses & boiling water.
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves, baking soda and salt.
Using an electric mixer beat together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until evenly combined.
Then with the mixer on low speed, beat in about 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by about 1/3 of the hot water & molasses. Repeat until all the flour & molasses are mixed in. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 32-37 minutes, or until the top is set and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a large bowl beat together the butter and cream cheese until evenly combined.
Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
Beat in the powdered sugar about 1 cup at a time until the desired sweetness level is reached. Then beat in 1-2 tablespoons of cream as needed. If the mixture is thin, you may not need to add any cream.
Frost the cooled cake. Then optionally decorate with cranberries and mint leaves.

Notes

*I don't recommend blackstrap because the flavor is too strong.
This cake is also a great recipe to make ahead. You can bake the cake and let it cool. Then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. The night before you'd like to serve, thaw the cake in the fridge. Then, frost the next day.

Nutrition Facts

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 522 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 334mg15%

Potassium 409mg12%

Carbohydrates 100g33%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 79g88%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 439IU9%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 84mg8%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.