Gingerbread Layer Cake
User Reviews
5
Gingerbread Layer Cake
Description
This cake starts with a blend of all-purpose flour, brown sugar, leavening agents, salt, and a mix of ground spices that bring traditional gingerbread flavors. The wet ingredients include melted butter, avocado or vegetable oil, molasses, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, which adds moisture and richness to the batter. Hot water is added last to ensure the batter is smooth.
Baked in three 8-inch round pans, the cake layers are cooked until just set yet still moist inside. Once cooled, they are stacked and frosted with a cream cheese-based frosting made creamy by butter and balanced with powdered sugar and vanilla. The frosting style can be semi-naked or fully coated, with decorative dollops and optional garnishes like sugared cranberries.
The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to a day or refrigerated for several days. Both cake layers and frosting may be prepared in advance to facilitate assembly. It freezes well when tightly wrapped, making it convenient to prepare ahead of time.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ½ teaspoon cloves ground
- 12 Tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
- ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable or canola oil
- ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
- 3 egg room temperature preferred, large
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream 8 oz
- ⅓ cup water very hot
Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (use full-fat cream cheese) (226g)
- ½ cup butter softened (113g, unsalted
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar firmly packed (66g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar (500g)
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream optional, or milk
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.
Notes
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours or refrigerate for 4-5 days.
- Cake layers can be made up to two days before frosting; wrap tightly and store at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.
- Frosting can be prepared a day ahead and should be brought to room temperature and stirred before use.
- For a decorative touch, consider topping with sugared cranberries or similar garnishes.
- The recipe has been refined to avoid previous issues and deliver consistent results.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition 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.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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