Gingerbread Layer Cake
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5.0
210 reviews
Excellent
Gingerbread Layer Cake
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This gingerbread layer cake is so cozy and festive! It comes together in just over an hour and is topped with sugared cranberries for a stunning finish. Recipe includes a how-to video!
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Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ⅔ 2 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 ½ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 12 12 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ ½ cup Avocado, vegetable or canola oil
- ¾ ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
- 3 3 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1 cup sour cream 8 oz
- ⅓ ⅓ cup very hot water
Frosting
- 8 8 oz cream cheese softened (use full-fat cream cheese) (226g)
- ½ ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- ⅓ ⅓ cup light brown sugar firmly packed (66g)
- 1 ½ 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 4 cups powdered sugar (500g)
- 1 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk optional
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Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease three 8” round cake pans with baking spray and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves).
- Add melted butter and vegetable oil and stir well.
- Stir in molasses.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Finally, stir in hot water. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and ensure batter is uniform and well-combined.
- Evenly divide batter into prepared pans and transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) oven. Bake for 28 minutes or until centers are set, cake lightly springs back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Allow cakes to cool in their pan for 10-15 minutes before running a knife around the edge and carefully inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Combine cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, stirring until completely combined. If frosting seems too thick, thin it by adding heavy cream or milk and beating briefly on high speed.
- Level cakes if needed and decorate with frosting. I used an Ateco 848 tip to pipe the swirls on top of the cake seen in the photos.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Cake may be wrapped tightly and frozen, where it will keep for several months.
- Cake layers may be made up to 2 days in advance of frosting, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. To prepare cake layers any further in advance, they may also be wrapped tightly and frozen until needed. Frosting may be prepared up to one day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will need to be allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred before it will be usable for frosting the cake.
- This recipe makes enough frosting to decorate the cake as shown in photos (semi-naked decoration and decorative dollops on the top).
- See my recipe here for sugared cranberries if you would like to use these to top off your cake – they make a fun and colorful addition!
- I originally published a recipe for a Gingerbread layer cake with brown sugar & bourbon frosting in 2015. A number of commenters ran into issues with the original recipe so I have tweaked and revised it to be foolproof in the new version you see published here.
- If you are looking for the original recipe, you can find the original here. Please note that I am no longer accepting comments on the original recipe.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
712kcal
(36%)
Carbohydrates
104g
(35%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
31g
(48%)
Saturated Fat
19g
(95%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
123mg
(41%)
Sodium
404mg
(17%)
Potassium
454mg
(13%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
80g
(160%)
Vitamin A
1040IU
(21%)
Vitamin C
0.2mg
(0%)
Calcium
164mg
(16%)
Iron
3mg
(17%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 712 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 712kcal | 36% |
| Carbohydrates | 104g | 35% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 19g | 95% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 123mg | 41% |
| Sodium | 404mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 454mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 80g | 160% |
| Vitamin A | 1040IU | 21% |
| Vitamin C | 0.2mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 164mg | 16% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
210 reviews
Excellent
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