6-Inch Gingerbread Layer Cake
The ultimate holiday cake
Hello there! To kick off this first newsletter (and since we’re in the month of December), I wanted to share this festive little gingerbread layer cake with you.
This recipe, which comes from my second cookbook (Simple Small-Batch Baking), yields a moist gingerbread cake topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. The cake is perfectly spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and molasses and has a soft, tender crumb. And the cream cheese frosting complements the cake's warming spices perfectly.
For extra flair, I used brown food coloring to tint the leftover icing and piped adorable little gingerbread men all around the cake's exterior. However, if you don’t want to be bothered by that extra work, just throw on some festive sprinkles or leave the cake plain! And if you’re looking for a festive holiday cake but not a fan of gingerbread, check out my 6-Inch Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake.
6-Inch Gingerbread Layer Cake
Makes 6-8 slices
For the Gingerbread Cake:
1¾ cups (220g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp fine sea salt
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp (100g) dark brown sugar
¼ cup + 1 tbsp (60g) granulated sugar
¼ cup + 2 tsp (70ml) canola oil
1 large egg, room temperature
⅓ cup + 2 tbsp (150g) unsulphured molasses
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup (160ml) hot water
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
7 oz (198g) cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup (76g) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
2⅓ cups (280g) powdered sugar
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 6-inch (15-cm) cakepans, line them with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes to release seamlessly from the pan.
For the cake, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and salt, then set aside the bowl. In a large bowl, whisk together the dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, and egg until well combined; then whisk in the molasses. Add the vanilla and hot water, then whisk together until completely combined; do this carefully, as the water will splash around at first! Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and whisk until the ingredients are completely combined. The batter will be fairly thin!
Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Note: this recipe makes around 28½ ounces (810 g) of batter; pour 14 ounces (405 g) into each cake pan. Bake the cakes for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the top of the cake bounces back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs attached. Cool the cakes in the pans for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
To make the frosting, place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, and cream on medium-high speed until combined and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla bean paste and salt, and beat until combined. Add the sugar and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth and the sugar is fully combined.
Using a large, serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface, if needed. Place one cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate, and evenly cover the top with a large dollop of frosting. Top with the second layer, placing it upside down (so the flat bottom of the cake is on top), and spread a thin layer of the frosting all over the top and sides for your crumb coat. Smooth the frosting with an offset spatula and bench scraper. Chill the cake for 10 to 20 minutes, or until the frosting has hardened slightly.
Pipe on additional frosting over the crumb coat, and smooth the frosting with an offset spatula and bench scraper. Pipe additional decorations on the sides and top of the cake with leftover frosting, if desired. Store the cake well-covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes:
Make-Ahead Instructions: The cake can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Alternatively, you can wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Similarly, the frosting can also be made ahead of time and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw the frosting overnight in the refrigerator, bring it to room temperature, and beat it well before frosting the cake.
Things I Used:
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Ingredients
King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
Grandma’s Molasses
Heilala Vanilla Extract & Vanilla Bean Paste
Tools & Equipment
6-inch Cake Pans
Pre-cut Parchment Rounds
Stand Mixer / Hand Mixer
Cake Scraper
Cake Turntable
Icing Spatula
Piping Bags
Piping Tips