Best Gingerbread Layer Cake with Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting: A Festive Holiday Delight
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The holiday season brings with it a symphony of flavors, and few are as cherished and iconic as gingerbread. This festive Gingerbread Layer Cake is here to make your celebrations even more special, offering an irresistible combination of warmth, spice, and creamy indulgence. Imagine sinking your teeth into incredibly soft and fluffy cake layers, each bite bursting with the quintessential warm Christmas spices like aromatic ginger, cozy cinnamon, fragrant nutmeg, and pungent cloves. The rich, deep flavor of molasses enhances the authentic gingerbread experience, creating a cake that truly embodies the spirit of the holidays. To perfectly complement the spiced cake, this masterpiece is generously enrobed in the most delightful tangy cream cheese frosting, which provides a bright contrast that balances the spices beautifully. Crowned with adorable mini gingerbread cookies, this cake isn’t just a dessert; it’s a centerpiece, a conversation starter, and a treat that will bring joy to everyone gathered around your holiday table. It’s truly the perfect sweet ending to any festive meal, promising comfort and cheer with every delicious slice.
Our Gingerbread Layer Cake stands out for its perfectly light and airy texture, a testament to a meticulously crafted recipe. The secret lies in a careful balance of ingredients that ensures each layer is moist and tender, never dense or dry. Every element of this cake is designed to deliver that classic, comforting flavor of gingerbread you know and love, but in an elevated, celebratory form. We’ve packed it with an abundance of warming spices—ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves—each contributing to a complex, aromatic profile that is unmistakably festive. And of course, a generous amount of rich molasses is key, providing that signature deep, slightly caramelized flavor and a lovely dark hue. The marriage of these spiced cake layers with the luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting is what makes this dessert a dream come true. The frosting’s bright acidity cuts through the sweetness and richness of the gingerbread, creating a harmonious flavor balance that will have everyone reaching for a second slice. This isn’t just a cake; it’s a holiday tradition waiting to happen, perfect for sharing with family and friends or as a special treat for yourself.
For more festive Holiday dessert recipes that capture the essence of the season, be sure to try our incredibly moist Gingerbread Cupcakes, classic chewy Gingerbread Cookies, and the decadent Red Velvet Loaf Cake. Each recipe is designed to bring joy and deliciousness to your holiday table.
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WHY THIS GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE RECIPE WORKS SO WELL
This gingerbread layer cake isn’t just another holiday dessert; it’s a carefully perfected recipe designed to bring joy and ease to your festive baking. Here’s why this particular recipe will become your go-to for the holiday season:
- Perfectly Soft and Flavorful Gingerbread Cake Layers: Our gingerbread cake layers are not only incredibly soft and moist, but they are also packed with an authentic, rich gingerbread flavor. This is achieved through a precise blend of warm Christmas spices and the subtle sweetness and depth of dark molasses. The cake batter comes together remarkably quickly and easily, making the baking process straightforward and enjoyable, even for novice bakers. You’ll love how effortlessly these layers bake up, creating a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
- Decadent Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting: The accompanying cream cheese frosting is simply divine. It’s wonderfully smooth, making it a dream to decorate with, whether you’re a seasoned cake decorator or just starting out. More importantly, its delightful tangy flavor provides the perfect counterpoint to the sweet and spiced gingerbread cake. This balance prevents the cake from being overly sweet, ensuring a refreshing taste experience that perfectly complements the rich flavors of the cake, making every bite truly harmonious.
- Easy and Quick to Prepare: Despite its impressive appearance and gourmet taste, this Gingerbread Layer Cake is surprisingly easy and quick to make. We’ve streamlined the steps to ensure that you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the holiday festivities. The recipe uses common ingredients and straightforward techniques, proving that you don’t need to be an expert baker to create a show-stopping dessert. This recipe is perfect for busy holiday schedules, delivering maximum flavor with minimal fuss.
ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT NOTES FOR YOUR GINGERBREAD CAKE
Understanding the role of each ingredient is key to achieving the perfect Gingerbread Layer Cake. Here are some important notes and tips on the core components of this festive dessert. For a full list of ingredients with precise measurements, make sure to check out the recipe card further down below.
- All-Purpose Flour: This forms the foundational structure of our cake. Using all-purpose flour helps create a light and airy texture. For optimal results, I recommend using a brand of all-purpose flour that has a protein content between 10-11%. This range provides enough gluten for structure without making the cake tough.
- Dark Brown Sugar: While it sweetens the cake, dark brown sugar plays a much larger role. Its molasses content adds an extra layer of rich, caramelized, and toffee-like flavor to the gingerbread cake, contributing to its deep, comforting taste and moist texture.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are our essential leavening agents. Baking powder provides the initial lift, while baking soda reacts with the acidic components like sour cream and molasses to create carbon dioxide, helping the cake rise beautifully and achieve its light, fluffy texture. Ensure they are fresh for maximum effectiveness.
- Salt: A crucial ingredient that often goes unnoticed, salt enhances all the other flavors in the cake. It balances the sweetness, deepens the spice notes, and brings out the richness of the molasses, preventing the cake from tasting flat.
- Eggs: Eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness to the cake. It’s vital to take your eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before baking, allowing them to come to room temperature. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with other ingredients, resulting in a smoother batter and a more uniform, tender cake crumb.
- Sour Cream: This ingredient is a secret weapon for an incredibly soft and tender cake. Sour cream adds moisture and a slight tang, which reacts with the baking soda to further enhance the cake’s light texture. Just like eggs, measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature 30 minutes to an hour before you begin baking for the best results.
- Warm Christmas Spices: To achieve that unmistakable, classic gingerbread flavor, we use a blend of ground ginger (the star of the show), cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. This combination provides a wonderfully aromatic, warm, and comforting spice profile that defines traditional gingerbread.
- Molasses: This is a cornerstone of any good gingerbread. I highly recommend using unsulphured molasses or a good quality dark syrup. Unsulphured molasses has a milder, sweeter flavor than blackstrap molasses, which can be too bitter for baking delicate cakes. It provides the signature dark color, deep flavor, and moistness characteristic of gingerbread.
- Vegetable Oil: Unlike butter, which can make cakes denser, a flavor-neutral oil like canola or avocado oil keeps the cake exceptionally moist and tender. It contributes to a consistently soft crumb, ensuring your gingerbread cake stays delicious for longer.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE: BAKING THE PERFECT GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE
Creating this delicious Gingerbread Layer Cake is a fun and rewarding process. This recipe is designed for ease, requiring just two mixing bowls, a hand whisk, and an electric mixer. Follow these steps for a truly festive and flavorful dessert.
Remember, the complete and detailed recipe with all ingredient quantities is available down below in the comprehensive recipe card.
Before you begin your baking adventure: Preheat your oven to 170ºC/340ºF using a conventional oven setting. Prepare two 20 cm/8-inch cake pans by greasing them lightly and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. This ensures your beautiful cake layers will release easily.
STEP 1: Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients Separately. In a large mixing bowl, meticulously stir together all your dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and your fragrant Christmas spices (ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves). Ensure everything is well combined to distribute the leavening agents and spices evenly. In a separate, equally spacious mixing bowl, add all the wet ingredients: the unsulphured molasses, room temperature sour cream, vegetable oil, room temperature large eggs, and vanilla extract. Using a hand whisk, gently whisk these wet ingredients together until they are fully incorporated and smooth. This two-bowl method helps prevent overmixing when the wet and dry ingredients are combined.
STEP 2: Gently Mix and Bake the Cake Batter. Carefully pour the whisked wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. With a whisk or a rubber spatula, gently stir and fold the mixture until everything is just combined. Be mindful not to overmix the batter; overmixing can develop too much gluten, leading to a tough cake. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks of flour are visible. Divide the smooth cake batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans, spreading it into an even layer with your spatula. Transfer the pans to the preheated oven and bake for 28-30 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it.
STEP 3: Cool the Cake Layers Properly. Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes in their pans. This initial cooling period allows the cakes to firm up slightly. After 5 minutes, gently invert the cakes to remove them from their tins and peel off the parchment paper. Place the cakes directly onto the wire rack to cool down completely. It is absolutely crucial that the cakes are entirely cool before you attempt to frost them; otherwise, your frosting will melt and slide off.
STEP 4: Cream the Butter for the Frosting. To begin making your luscious cream cheese frosting, ensure your butter is at a good room temperature. In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, start creaming the butter on medium-high speed. Continue to beat the butter for approximately 5 minutes until it becomes noticeably light, pale, and incredibly fluffy. This step is crucial for achieving a smooth and airy frosting texture. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl midway through and continue mixing for another 2 minutes to ensure thorough creaming.
STEP 5: Incorporate Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar. Once the butter is perfectly creamed, add the vanilla bean paste and the full-fat cream cheese to the mixer bowl. Cream these ingredients together with the butter for about 1 minute until well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more to ensure all ingredients are incorporated. Then, with the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted powdered sugar in two separate parts. Allow each addition of powdered sugar to fully mix into the butter and cream cheese mixture before adding the next. This prevents a powdered sugar cloud and ensures a smooth, lump-free frosting. After all the sugar is in, scrape the bowl down one last time and mix on low speed for an additional 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and perfectly smooth.
STEP 6: Assemble the Cake with a Crumb Coat. Place your first completely cooled cake layer onto your chosen serving dish or a cake board, ideally positioned on a turntable for easier decorating. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry—you can still decorate a beautiful cake without it! Spoon two generous scoops of the cream cheese frosting onto the first layer. Using an offset spatula, spread the frosting evenly across the top. Carefully place the second cake layer on top. Now, apply a thin, even layer of frosting all over the entire cake—sides and top. This is called a “crumb coat,” and its purpose is to trap any loose crumbs, creating a smooth surface for your final frosting layer. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to allow the crumb coat to firm up; this will make applying the final, thicker layer of frosting much easier and cleaner.
STEP 7: Frost and Decorate Your Gingerbread Masterpiece. Once the crumb coat has set, remove the cake from the refrigerator. Apply the remaining cream cheese frosting generously to the top and sides of the cake, using your offset spatula to smooth it out for a polished finish. For an optional but highly recommended decorative touch, lightly dust the top of the cake with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Then, arrange cute mini gingerbread cookies around the top edge or in the center for an extra festive and charming presentation. Your stunning Gingerbread Layer Cake is now ready to be admired and enjoyed!
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR A FLAWLESS GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE
Achieving baking perfection, especially with a layered cake, often comes down to a few key techniques. Here are some expert tips to ensure your Gingerbread Layer Cake turns out absolutely flawless every time:
- Use a Kitchen Scale for Precision: Baking is a science, and precision is paramount. While volume measurements can vary greatly, using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients in grams, as is my default setting for recipes, is the most accurate method. This ensures consistent results, prevents common baking errors due to inconsistent measurements, and helps you achieve the perfect texture and flavor every time. I therefore highly recommend investing in and using a kitchen scale for all your baking endeavors.
- Avoid Overmixing Your Batter: Once you’ve combined your wet and dry ingredients, mix just until no streaks of dry flour remain. Overmixing the batter develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can lead to a tough, dense, and less tender cake. To ensure everything is perfectly incorporated without overdoing it, I always finish with one final gentle fold using a rubber spatula after the initial mixing. This ensures that any pockets of unmixed ingredients at the bottom of the bowl are fully incorporated without overworking the batter.
- Choose the Right Baking Pans: The type of baking pan you use can significantly impact your cake’s texture and color. For the best result, opt for an aluminum baking pan. These pans are typically light in color, which means they reflect heat rather than absorbing it. This allows the cake to bake more gently and evenly, resulting in a softer, more tender crumb and a lighter crust. Always grease your aluminum pan with butter and line the bottom with baking paper. If you use a dark-colored baking pan, it will absorb a lot more heat, which can lead to a darker, tougher crust and potentially a dryer cake overall due to faster baking on the edges. If using dark pans, you might need to slightly reduce your oven temperature and baking time.
- Bring Ingredients to Room Temperature: This is a golden rule in baking, especially for cakes and frostings. Room temperature eggs, butter, and sour cream emulsify much better, creating a smoother, more uniform batter or frosting. This leads to a finer crumb in your cake and a creamier, lump-free frosting. Plan ahead and take these ingredients out of the refrigerator 30 minutes to an hour before you start mixing.
- Don’t Open the Oven Door Too Soon: Resist the urge to peek at your cakes while they are baking, especially during the first two-thirds of the baking time. Opening the oven door causes a sudden drop in temperature, which can cause the cake to sink in the middle. Trust your oven and the baking time provided in the recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE
Absolutely! This Gingerbread Layer Cake is an excellent make-ahead dessert, perfect for busy holiday preparations. You can prepare both the cake layers and the cream cheese frosting the day before you plan to assemble and serve. For the cake layers, once completely cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out and store them on your kitchen counter, away from direct sunlight. For the buttercream, place it in an airtight container and store it in the fridge. Before using it the next day, allow the buttercream to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then, give it a quick remix in your stand mixer using the paddle attachment until it’s smooth and perfectly spreadable again. This makes assembly on the day of serving quick and stress-free.
The best way to determine if your cake layers are done is by using a reliable cake tester or a simple toothpick. Once the recipe’s recommended baking time has passed, carefully insert the cake tester or toothpick into the very center of one of the cake layers. If it comes out clean, with no wet batter or moist crumbs clinging to it, then your cake is perfectly baked and ready to be removed from the oven. If you see wet batter, continue baking in 2-3 minute increments, testing again until clean.
A dry cake is often the result of overbaking or overmixing. Overmixing develops too much gluten, leading to a tough, dry texture. Overbaking removes too much moisture, leaving the cake crumb dry. Ensure you mix just until combined and follow the baking times closely, using the cake tester method. Using a light-colored pan can also help prevent dry edges, as dark pans absorb more heat and can bake the cake faster.
While the recipe’s blend of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves creates a classic gingerbread flavor, you can certainly experiment! Some people enjoy adding a touch of allspice or cardamom for extra depth. However, be mindful that these spices are potent, so start with small amounts (e.g., ¼ teaspoon) and adjust to your preference. The key is to maintain the warm, comforting profile that defines gingerbread.
HOW TO STORE YOUR GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE
Proper storage is essential to keep your delicious Gingerbread Layer Cake fresh and moist. Once frosted, the cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This helps maintain the freshness of the cream cheese frosting and keeps the cake moist. To enjoy the cake at its best, remove it from the refrigerator about 30-60 minutes before serving, allowing it to come closer to room temperature. This will soften the frosting and enhance the flavors and texture of the cake layers. It is best enjoyed within 1-2 days of baking. If you wish to store it longer, slices can be individually wrapped and frozen for up to a month, then thawed in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.
Other Holiday Recipes To Try
- Red Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cranberry Orange Coffee Cake
- Gooey Pecan Pie Brownies with Brown Butter
- Giant Cinnamon Rolls (Soft, Gooey Tangzhong Milk Bread Rolls)
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Gingerbread Layer Cake
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Equipment
- 2 x 20 cm (8 in) baking pan
- Stand Mixer
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
GINGERBREAD CAKE LAYERS
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 165 g unsulphured molasses or dark syrup
- 360 g sour cream 14-18% room temperature
- 110 g vegetable oil e.g. avocado oil or canola oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 300 g butter
- 150 g full-fat cream cheese
- 550 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
DECORATION
- Mini Gingerbread Cookies
Instructions
GINGERBREAD CAKE LAYERS
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC/340ºF conventional oven and line 2x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.315 g all-purpose flour, 150 g dark brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, 2 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, 2 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.165 g unsulphured molasses, 360 g sour cream 14-18%, 110 g vegetable oil, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir it all together with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Make sure there is no dry flour left in the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and spread the cake batter into an even layer. Bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.300 g butter, 150 g full-fat cream cheese, 550 g powdered sugar
- In your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix for 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and cream cheese and cream it together with the butter for 1 minute.½ teaspoon vanilla paste
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and on low speed, mix the sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts, letting the powdered sugar mix in with the butter and cream cheese before adding the next part. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix for 1-2 minutes on low speed.
ASSEMBLING
- Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
- Add 2 big scoops of frosting and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so it is easier to frost the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Optional decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and gingerbread cookies.Mini Gingerbread Cookies