Gingerbread Cake
This gingerbread cake is a moist layered gingerbread cake filled with cream cheese frosting and crushed gingersnaps in the filling! It is perfect to make on the holidays.
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 689kcal
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 TBSP Ground cinnamon
- 1 TBSP Ground ginger
- 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Cloves
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 cup Unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 TBSP Oil canola or vegetable
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar packed dark brown
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup Molasses Don't use blackstrap
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 3 Large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup Sour cream room temperature
- 1 cup Buttermilk room temperature
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz Cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups Unsalted butter
- 4 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup Crushed gingersnaps crumbs and small pieces
White Chocolate Gingerbread Drip
- 1 cup White chocolate chips use Ghirardelli
- 1/3 cup Heavy cream
- 2 tsp Molasses grandma's molasses
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
Instructions
Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a three 8-inch cake pans with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Spray again.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.3 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 TBSP Ground cinnamon, 1 TBSP Ground ginger, 1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 tsp Ground nutmeg, 1 tsp Salt, 2 tsp Baking powder, 1/2 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Cloves
- Using a mixer, beat the butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl using a rubber spatula.1 cup Unsalted butter, 3 TBSP Oil, 3/4 cup Brown sugar, 1 cup White granulated sugar
- Add in molasses, vanilla, sour cream, and eggs. Mix on medium until combined.1/3 cup Molasses, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 3 Large eggs, 1/3 cup Sour cream
- Add in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk. Mix on low speed until just combined. Take off the mixer and mix the batter make sure it is all combined.1 cup Buttermilk
- Pour the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake for 26-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes sit in the hot pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool the cake completely before decorating.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Set aside.4 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
- Using a mixer, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the cream cheese. Beat on high for 1 minute.8 oz Cream cheese, 2 cups Unsalted butter
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Repeat with the rest of the powdered sugar. Add in the vanilla and pinch of salt and mix on high speed until creamy. Make sure to scrape the bowl so everything is mixed together.1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
White Chocolate Gingerbread Drip
- Start right before you need it. In a small bowl, add the white chocolate chips. Heat the heavy cream on the stove in a small frying pan on medium heat until steaming. Pour over the white chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Mix the cream using a baking rubber spatula. If it is fully mixed in, but white chocolate chunk remain, heat in the microwave for 10 second intervals until melted.1 cup White chocolate chips, 1/3 cup Heavy cream
- Add molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.2 tsp Molasses, 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp Ground ginger, 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
Assembly
- Place the first cake layer down and spread 3/4 cup of frosting over the cake. Pipe a border of frosting around the edge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of gingersnap crumbs on top and spread it evenly. Pipe 5 dollops of frosting on top of the crumbs ( this gives the next cake layer something to stick to).1 cup Crushed gingersnaps
- Repeat with the second cake layer. Place the last cake layer down with bottom of the cake facing up.
- Frost the cake in a light layer and freeze for 15 minutes. This is the crumb coat layer.
- Frost the cake, I did a semi-naked look to the cake. Freeze for 10 minutes to set the frosting. Start the drip while it is setting.
- Pour the drip into piping bag, pipe the drip down the sides of the cake. Pour the rest of the drip on top and spread evenly. Freeze for 10 minutes to set it.
- I piped dollops of frosting on top of the cake using a large French star tip. I topped with little gingerbread men and Christmas nonpareil sprinkles.
Notes
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake.
High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 TBSP of flour.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 689kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 1387IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 137mg | Iron: 2mg