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Gingerbread Layer Cake

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!

Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Total Time
1 hr 3 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 712 kcal
Course: Dessert , Cake
Cuisine: American

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

Instructions

Cake
    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves).
  3. Add melted butter and vegetable oil and stir well.
  4. Stir in molasses.
  5. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream and stir until thoroughly combined.
  6. Finally, stir in hot water. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and ensure batter is uniform and well-combined.
  7. 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.
  8. 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
  1. Combine cream cheese, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 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

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

% 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.