This gingerbread cake is spiced with the warm flavors of molasses, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. It’s perfect for the holidays with a moist crumb and cream cheese frosting!
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Super Moist Gingerbread Cake Recipe
The holidays are a time for celebrating traditions, and baking gingerbread recipes brings up the best memories! We bake everything from gingersnap cookies and gingerbread bars with cream cheese frosting, and new this year a spiced gingerbread cake.
Why I Love This Cake
- It’s an easy dessert I can whip up in under an hour. I typically always have what I need on hand.
- It’s a classic holiday dessert ready in under an hour. It’s the perfect way to end Christmas dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking staples: Large egg (bring to room temperature with the butter), vanilla, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Unsalted butter: It needs to be soft enough to cream easily and blend evenly, so remember to take it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before you begin.
- Sugars: I use white sugar and packed brown sugar for sweetness. The combination is great because the brown sugar adds that extra bit of molasses-y flavor.
- Unsulphured molasses: I use Grandma’s brand of unsulphured fancy molasses. I prefer the flavor, and don’t taste any hints of that “chemical” flavor I find sulphured molasses can have.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves.
- Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce is made without added sugar and adds a hint of apple flavor and extra moisture.
- Very hot water: For thinning out the molasses so it mixes into the batter better. It can be quite thick and sticky!
- For the spiced cream cheese frosting: Softened cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, vanilla, and allspice.
- Optional garnish: Fresh rosemary and cranberries to top it off!
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars together. Then, add egg, vanilla, and molasses and mix until the wet ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Next, add the flour (spoon and level to ensure you’re not adding too much), baking soda, spices, and salt. Mix to combine, being careful not to overmix. Scrape down the sides as needed to make sure the mixture is well blended.
- Add the applesauce, and use a low speed as you slowly pour in the water. Mix until the batter is smooth and transfer it to a prepared pan.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 28–30 minutes and let the cake cool completely before adding the frosting.
Mix the frosting ingredients until fluffy. Once the cake is cooled enough so the frosting won’t melt, spread the fluffy frosting evenly overtop the best gingerbread cake. Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary for a festive finish!
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Start with room-temperature ingredients for even baking and better blending. Take out the egg, butter, and cream cheese at the same time to soften.
- Spray your pan! Don’t skip this step; otherwise, your cake might stick to the pan.
- To test your cake for readiness, insert a toothpick into the center of it. If it comes out clean, it’s ready to come out of the oven.
- To thin out the frosting, add a splash of cream or milk.
- Swap the spiced cream cheese frosting for a classic plain cream cheese frosting or cinnamon cream cheese frosting instead.
- Turn it into a layer cake with a filling of my buttercream frosting recipe. You can try a 3-layer cake using a 9-inch cake pan or a 2-layer cake using a 9-inch springform pan or 11×7 rectangle pan.
More cake recipes to love year round include easy pumpkin cake recipe and carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!
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Gingerbread Cake
Video
Ingredients
Cake:
- ½ cup unsalted butter , softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar , packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses (I use Grandma's brand)
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup applesauce (i use a no sugar added applesauce)
- ½ cup very hot water
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter , softened
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon allspice
Optional: Sugared cranberries or rosemary for decorating
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13” baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Cream the wet ingredients: Using a handheld mixer, cream together 1/2 cup butter,1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 cup molasses and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1 teaspoon cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix just until combined scraping down the sides as needed.
- Mix in applesauce and water: Add the 1/2 cup applesauce and begin mixing on low speed, then slowly pour in the 1/2 cup hot water. Mix until the batter is smooth.
- Spread into pan: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake: Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool cake: Allow the cake to fully cool before frosting.
Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat all frosting ingredients: In a medium bowl, beat together the 8 ounces cream cheese and 2 Tablespoons butter until smooth. Add the 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Continue mixing until fluffy. You can add a little more cream or milk to thin it out if needed.
- Frost and decorate: Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting evenly and enjoy! You can garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary for a festive touch if desired!
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Recipe FAQs
Spiced cream cheese frosting is amazing, but it’s just one option! You could keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream with nuts, chocolate chips, or sprinkles on top, or a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce. You could also enjoy it plain with a scoop of ice cream or a glass of eggnog on the side!
Due to the cream cheese frosting, store leftover cake in the fridge for up to a week.
You can bake this cake and let it cool completely. Without adding the frosting, wrap it tight in plastic wrap and keep it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it to room temperature and add a fresh layer of frosting when you’re ready to serve it.
Frosted cake can also be kept frozen for a few months although I prefer to freeze it unfrosted.
Categorized as: American, Cake + Cupcakes, Christmas, Desserts
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Can you double the recipe?
Yes! If you hover on servings, you can slide to desired amount and the ingredients will adjust. I would start checking it at the instructed baking time and then add 5 minutes etc if it is not done.
This cake is perfect for the holidays, my family loved it and it was easy to make! Alisha, recipe tester
Thank you Alisha! So glad your family loved the gingerbread cake!