Description
This is my timeless classic gingerbread. You can enjoy it plain or with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar or dollop of whipped cream. You can also top it with spiced cream cheese frosting (recipe included below). You can make it as a single layer round or square cake, or try the layer cake versions detailed in the Notes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (180ml or 225g) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 3/4 cup (180ml) hot water (about 100°F (38°C))
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting (optional)
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (210g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- small pinch each of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
- optional: sprinkles and/or sugared cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan, 9-inch square pan, or 11×7-inch rectangle pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl or in a liquid measuring cup, whisk the molasses and hot water together.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the hot water/molasses, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing. Give it a whisk by hand at the end to make sure there are no large lumps (a few small lumps are OK). Batter is slightly thick.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 35 minutes, or until the cake is baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean with only a couple moist (not wet) crumbs, it’s done.
- Allow cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. The cake must be completely cool before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until creamy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, milk, and pinches of spices. (Note that the video does not include the spices in the frosting, but the pictures do!) Beat on low speed for 20 seconds, then increase to high speed until everything is completely combined and the frosting is creamy. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Spread on top of cake. Spread around the sides if you have extra frosting.
- Slice and serve.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 6. Wrap the baked and cooled cake tightly and keep at room temperature for 1 day or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature (if frozen) then continue with step 7. Frosting can also be made 1 day ahead of time. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Beat the frosting on medium speed for a few seconds so it’s creamy again, if needed. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or serve cold. See How to Freeze Cakes.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Springform Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Offset Icing Spatula
- Different Size Pans: No matter what size pan you use, bake the cake at 350°F (177°C). A 9-inch springform pan or 10-inch springform pan is best because this gingerbread cake rises pretty high. 9-inch cake pans are too short. You can also use a 9-inch square pan or 11×7-inch rectangle pan. For all of these pans, the bake time will be about 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. There is not enough batter for a 9×13-inch cake pan or a Bundt pan.
- Gingerbread Cupcakes: For about 14 cupcakes, fill liners halfway and bake for 20–22 minutes. Or try my slightly different recipe for gingerbread cupcakes.
- 9-Inch Layer Cake: You can make this as a 3-layer 9-inch cake. I suggest making the batter twice, and reducing the molasses to 1/2 cup (150g) in each (for 1 cup (300g) total in the layer cake). You do not have to reduce the water. Don’t double this recipe—make it twice and then combine the batters; the batter is too heavy to double all at once. You will have about 6 cups or 1745g of batter. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Fill the cake pans halfway (about 575g batter in each). Bake the layers for 22–25 minutes. The best amounts/ratio of ingredients to use for the frosting would be the same cream cheese frosting from this carrot cake recipe. Feel free to still add a pinch of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to it if desired.
- 6-inch Layer Cake: You can make the batter as written above and divide it between 3 6-inch round cake pans, to make a 3-layer 6-inch cake. The cream cheese frosting written above is enough for the 3-layer 6-inch cake.
- Adapted from Gingerbread Muffins.