Gingerbread letter cookie cake with ginger and white chocolate frosting

Name: Gingerbread letter cookie cake with ginger and white chocolate frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 34 min
Yield: 10 serving
Ingredients: 85 g | 3oz soft light brown sugar; 200 g | 7oz treacle /blackstrap molasses or half treacle; 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp allspice; 1/2 tsp ground cloves; 1/4 tsp salt; pinch ground white pepper; 1 tbsp Opies stem ginger syrup; 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 115 g | 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature; 1 egg lightly beaten; 440 g | 15.5oz | 3 1/2 cups plain flour plus more for dusting and rolling; 3 egg whites 90g | 3.1oz; 500 g | 5 cups icing powdered sugar; 1/2 tsp cream of tartar; 1 tsp vanilla extract optional; 450 g | 1lb full-fat mascarpone cheese; 200 g | 2 cups icing sugar; 175 g | 1 cup white chocolate chips; 2-3 tbsp Opies stem ginger syrup; 4 tbsp Opies stem ginger; Mini gingerbread cookies; Meringue kisses; Sprinkles; Macarons; mini candy canes

User Reviews

5.0

21 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
34 mins
Servings
10
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
European

Gingerbread letter cookie cake with ginger and white chocolate frosting

Shawn Wheeler

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This beautiful gingerbread cookie cake with ginger and white chocolate frosting is the perfect Christmas dessert!

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Ingredients

Servings

For the gingerbread

85 g | 3oz soft light brown sugar
200 g | 7oz treacle /blackstrap molasses or half treacle , half golden syrup
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground white pepper
1 tbsp Opies stem ginger syrup (optional)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
115 g | 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1 egg lightly beaten
440 g | 15.5oz | 3 1/2 cups plain flour plus more for dusting and rolling

For the Royal Icing

3 egg whites 90g | 3.1oz
500 g | 5 cups icing powdered sugar , shifted (more, or less as needed)
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract optional

White chocolate frosting

450 g | 1lb full-fat mascarpone cheese
200 g | 2 cups icing sugar
175 g | 1 cup white chocolate chips
2-3 tbsp Opies stem ginger syrup

To assemble

4 tbsp Opies stem ginger , very finely diced
Mini gingerbread cookies
Meringue kisses
Sprinkles
Macarons
mini candy canes

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Instructions

Make the gingerbread cookie layers

Preheat the oven to 170C (340F) and line 3 heavy trays with baking paper (you will need to bake the cookies in batches).
Put the sugar, treacle and all the spices in a medium saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly, until it reaches boiling point. Stir in a tablespoon of stem ginger syrup and take off the heat.
Stir in the bicarbonate of soda – the mix will start to foam up (my kids love this bit).
Add the butter and stir until completely melted.
Mix in the beaten egg and transfer to a large bowl.
Gradually add all the flour, stirring it in, until the dough is fairly firm.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and gently knead into a ball. If the dough is too soft, sprinkle with a little flour. It should be pliable but not sticky. Slice in half keeping the dough you aren’t using covered with plastic wrap.
Roll the dough out to about 6mm ( about 1/4 inch) and cut out a 18cm (7in) circle using a cake board or plate. Cut out a smaller circle in the centre using a pastry cutter or smaller plate.
Transfer the cookie to a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges just start to colour
Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely until firm.
Create two more layers and cut some smaller cookies using festive cutters. They will need 7-10 minutes baking, depending on their size. Decorate these with royal icing, if you like.

Make the frosting

Put the chocolate in a bowl and microwave for 40 second bursts, stirring in between until melted and completely smooth.
Put the mascarpone and icing sugar in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of stem ginger syrup and whisk using a hand mixer on the lowest setting to combine.
Add the melted white chocolate and mix on low speed to combine then increase speed to maximum until the frosting holds peaks. Transfer to a piping bagged fitted with a plain round tip or an open star tip.

Assemble the gingerbread cookie wreath

Pipe a layer of the frosting over the bottom cookie layer and scatter with chopped stem ginger.
Repeat with the second layer and top with the third. Add frosting over the top layer as well.
Add the decorations just before serving: mini gingerbread cookies, meringue kisses, sprinkles and whatever else takes your fancy!

Notes

This gingerbread letter cookie cake will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Cut using a serrated knife with a gentle sawing motion. Remember to decorate just before serving or the decorations might soften due to the moisture in the frosting.