This Gingerbread Cake is a holiday treat you’ll want to bake all season. An easy, moist gingerbread cake is topped with an incredible brown sugar cream cheese frosting. It’s easy, perfect for sharing, and tastes like Christmas!
If you need even more holiday cakes, try this Cranberry Cake with Warm Butter Sauce or this Cranberry Orange Cheesecake.
Gingerbread is one of my favorite holiday flavors. And when I was deciding what I wanted to make this year, I knew I wanted to make a gingerbread cake.
My original plan was to make a beautiful layer cake. But the more I thought about it, I knew that I needed to make a sheet cake instead. Not that I don’t love a good layer cake. And I really will make them every once in awhile. But really – I am more of a simple girl. And I need recipes that are easy and don’t require a lot of fancy decorating.
As it turns out, this was absolutely the right decision. This cake is now one of my all-time favorites. After several rounds of testing, I got the moist, spiced cake that I was going for. And the brown sugar cream cheese frosting just takes it to the next level.
This cake is perfect for holiday entertaining, and really, it’s good enough to just make when you are craving a dessert that tastes like Christmas.
Ingredients
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour for this cake.
- Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt: These are all necessary for the rise and texture, as well as balancing the flavor.
- Spices: You will need ground ginger, cinnamon, and ground cloves for the cake. You’ll also need a little more cinnamon for the frosting.
- Sugar: For the cake, you’ll need a mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar. And then for the frosting, you’ll need more brown sugar and some powdered sugar.
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt. You will melt the butter for the cake, so no need to soften it first. You will need softened butter for the frosting.
- Oil: You can use any neutral cooking oil. I like to use avocado oil, but vegetable oil works well.
- Molasses: Make sure you are using unsulphered molasses. This is normally what you will find at the grocery store.
- Eggs: I use large eggs. Make sure they are room temperature for best results.
- Vanilla: This is used for flavor in both the cake and the frosting.
- Boiling Water: You may have seen chocolate cakes that call for adding boiling water. This is usually to deepen the chocolate flavor. In this cake, we are adding boiling water because it makes the cake super moist and tender.
- Cream Cheese: This is for the frosting. You will want to use one 8-oz brick of cream cheese.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
STEP 1: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Set this aside.
STEP 2: In another bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and oil. I just use a hand held whisk, but you can use a mixer, if desired.
STEP 3: Add the molasses and mix to combine. Then add the eggs and the vanilla.
STEP 4: Add in the dry ingredients. I switch to a spatula and mix to combine. The batter will be pretty thick at this point.
STEP 5: Pour the boiling water into the bowl, and mix until combined.
STEP 6: Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, then add the batter to the pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake.
STEP 7: To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter well. Then add in the brown sugar and continue to beat until the sugar is dissolved. Beat in the powdered sugar, then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
STEP 8: Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. You can serve it immediately, or refrigerate the cake to serve later.
Tips and Tricks
This cake can be served at room temperature or cold. I love it both ways!
I decorated the cake simply with sugared cranberries, but really, no decoration is needed! You could even just add a sprinkle of cinnamon over the top.
I love, love, love this frosting, but honestly – this cake would even be delicious without it! So if you want to keep things super simple, you can serve the cake plain.
Store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Gingerbread Recipes
Gingerbread Cupcakes
Gingerbread Waffle Recipe with Lemon Sauce
Soft Ginger Cookies
LOOKING FOR MORE FREE RECIPES?
Subscribe to my free recipe newsletter to get new family friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more family-friendly inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 3 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- In another large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and oil. Whisk to combine.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup oil
- Add the molasses and whisk until combined.1 cup unsulphured molasses
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and use a spatula to stir together. It will be thick.
- Pour in the boiling water and mix until combined.1 cup boiling water
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes.
- Cool the cake completely.
- Once cool, make the frosting by beating together the cream cheese and the butter until light and fluffy.8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter
- Add the brown sugar and continue to beat for several minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.3/4 cup brown sugar
- Start adding in the powdered sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until fully combined. Beat in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.2 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
Leave a Comment...