Don't just stick with gingerbread cookies for the holidays, go with this Gingerbread Cake as well! That classic gingerbread flavor packed into a soft and decadent sheet cake. Top with a dollop of buttercream frosting for an unstoppable holiday dessert.
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One of my favorite flavors of the holiday season is gingerbread. I love that it’s not overly sweet, but more spicy than anything. Plus, it comes in so many forms. Fudge, cookies, candy, this cake recipe, you name it. This recipe can even be made into cupcakes! You get the point - it’s versatile and delicious. I think it’s the perfect flavor to represent the holidays.
Of course, I always end up throwing in one of these 80+ Best Christmas Cookies, such as Snowball Cookies, Haystacks, and No Bake Oatmeal Cookies. It wouldn’t be the holidays without them. Well, at least for our family it wouldn’t. Although, I have noticed plenty of other families feeling the same way. So, whether you’re all about the holiday baking or not, at least make this cake. You’ll be happy you did.
How Do You Make Gingerbread Cake from Scratch?
Prep - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a round cake pan with nonstick spray.
Cream - Cream together the butter and sugar until fully incorporated. Mix in the molasses, spices, salt, water, egg and milk.
Combine - In a separate bowl, combine the baking soda and flour. Add to the butter mixture. Mix well.
Bake - Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
Cool - Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before topping and serving. Enjoy!
Tips and Variations
- Storage - Store in a cake keeper in a cool, dry place for up to 3 days. Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months, in the freezer.
- Reheating - Reheat in the microwave or in the oven.
- Topping suggestions - You can either go plain with your cake and not add a topping at all, or add a little something to make it even better. I tend to top each slice with a dollop of Homemade Buttercream Frosting. However, you can use Homemade Whipped Cream, other frosting options, a caramel drizzle, fresh fruit, fruit pie filling, powdered sugar, etc.
- Make it into cupcakes - If preferred, you can always go the cupcake route with this cake. Place liners in a muffin pan and fill them ¾ of the way full. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Make designs on the cake - A fun way to present the cake is to make designs on it out of powdered sugar. Place a cookie cutter over a spot on the cake and then sprinkle with the powdered sugar.
Common Questions About Gingerbread Cake
What’s the Difference Between Gingerbread Cake and Ginger Cake?
I don’t know about the rest of the world, but in the US, these two terms are one and the same. “Ginger cake” is just a shortened term for “gingerbread cake.” Both are made the same exact way, with molasses and spice being the biggest source of flavor and direction for the cake. Of course, every recipe has its own version, but they’re all very similar in nature and taste.
Why Did My Ginger Cake Not Rise?
Did you skip the butter and sugar creaming step? Did you forget the baking soda? Did you mix the baking soda into the flour before adding it to the rest of the batter? These are all questions to ask yourself when your cake doesn’t rise. Simply because these are the most common reasons why a cake wouldn’t rise, in general. If none of these are the answer, it could be a fluke and something you might not ever figure out. Sometimes weather can play a factor in a cake not rising.
Kick up your baking game a notch with this Gingerbread Cake, then let me know in the comments below if it was a win for you!
More Cake Recipes You’re Sure to Love:
- Lemon Cupcakes Cones
- Death by Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake Donuts
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Raspberry Pound Cake
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup water
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temp
- 4 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons allspice
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- powdered sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-inch round cake pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add the molasses, spices, salt, water, egg and milk and mix well.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the baking soda and flour.
- Add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix well.
- Pour into the prepared pan and spread the batter evenly.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool. Remove from the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar, frosting, or whipped cream if desired. Serve and enjoy!
lynn sagnip
the photo looks like there is an egg added but none are listed. my family will love this but i would like to be sure the recipe is correct. thanks so much
lifebeginswithdessert
oh my goodness! yes, there is definitely an egg! sorry I have updated it now, great catch, thanks!