December 05, 2018

Easy Gingerbread Cake

Say hello to the best (and prettiest) gingerbread cake you will ever make in your life! Yes I know that is dramatic but I am serious. Moist cake + the perfect amount of spice + cream cheese frosting = YUMMM!

The best part is.... it is EASY! I am far from a baker but the cream cheese is so easy to work with (so easy I frosted this cake with a plastic knife) and I bought the gingerbread house already assembled and decorated so I didn't have to worry about that. Making a pretty cake is now easy as... cake? YES!

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup fancy molasses
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 6 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS

Gingerbread Cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
  3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
  4. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add molasses and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  5. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Do not over mix.
  6. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
  7. Bake for approx. 25-30mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  8. Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy (2 mins). Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy (3 mins).

Assembly:

  1. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with 2/3 cup of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a thin coat of frosting all over the cake to crumb coat. Chill for 20mins. Frost the cake with a rustic pattern using the remaining buttercream.
  2. Top with gingerbread and sprigs of rosemary if desired.

Happy Holidays!

XOXO

Walker Edison

Written by Walker Edison