Best Gingerbread Cake Recipe

This Gingerbread Cake Recipe is infused with the warming spices of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Dark rum and molasses are what give this moist cake its rich, robust flavor. A delicious surprise is candied ginger bits that are scattered throughout the batter. A classic holiday dessert topped with cream cheese frosting that is a surefire crowd-pleaser at Holiday get-togethers. 

The Best Gingerbread Cake Recipe

At first glance, layered cakes can feel a bit daunting but, the truth of the matter, they are much simpler than you might initially think. Actually, they are quite simple if you follow a few simple tips. I'll teach you how to slice, layer, and frost this "easier-than-you-think" Gingerbread Cake. A few other really mouthwatering layered cakes are Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake and a Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake. All three of these layered cakes are impressive and will steal the show at your gathering. 

Ingredients for Gingerbread Cake

For the Gingerbread Cake

• Dark Rum. I've seen some recipes call for a stout Guinness which works just as well. 
• Fancy-Grade Molasses. Fancy-grade is milder molasses which is what you need in this recipe.
• Baking Soda. This is mixed with the heated rum and molasses. Be careful though, it can easily foam over the pan. 
• All-Purpose Flour.
• Baking Powder. This is a leavening agent that causes the batter to rise and lightens the texture of the cake.
• Ground Spices. Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Cardamom. The combination of these four spices is the perfect blending for a  true gingerbread batter. 
• Kosher Salt. Salt balances out the sweetness of baked goods and enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
• Large Eggs. Eggs in cakes help build volume, thicken, and emulsify the finished product.
• Buttermilk. This brings a slight tang in flavor and is a tenderizer that makes for a moist cake. 
• Sugars. Granulated White Sugar obviously provides the sweetness in this cake. Dark Brown Sugar creates a slight taste of toffee or caramel. 
• Canola Oil. Cakes made with oil (instead of butter) tend to bake up with more height and stay moist and tender for longer periods of time. 
• Candied Ginger. This is my secret ingredient that adds chewy little nuggets of strong yet sweet ginger flavor throughout the layers of cake. 

For Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese. This adds a tinge of tanginess that balances out the sweetness of the powdered sugar. 
• Butter. The fats in the butter help to thicken the cream cheese frosting. It also adds a rich creamy taste. 
• Powdered Sugar. Powdered Sugar is great because it dissolves quickly and it produces a smooth consistency for the frosting. 
• Vanilla Extract. If at all possible, grab a bottle of "pour" vanilla extract. It is a little more expensive but the taste in this frosting is distinctly superior. 
• Nutmeg. Adding nutmeg to this frosting creates a nice complement to the spice in the gingerbread cake. You can use ground or fresh nutmeg.
• Gingersnap Cookies. These are purely optional as a garnishment but they do add a fun flair to the look of the finished cake. 

How to make Gingerbread Cake from Scratch

• Prepare the Round Cake Pans. Place a round 9-inch cake pan on top of parchment paper. Trace the bottom of the pan onto the paper using a marker. Cut out two rounds of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the cake pans. two round pieces to fit in the bottom of the cake pans. Lightly grease each pan with cooking spray and place the parchment paper in the bottom of the pans.

• Combine and heat the dark rum and molasses together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Slowly whisk in the baking soda one teaspoon at a time. Add baking soda slowly one teaspoon at a time and whisk quickly. Caution: adding baking soda too quickly will cause the liquids to foam up and overflow. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.  

• Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt. 

• Whisk together the room-temperature wet ingredients with dark and white sugar. In a medium bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, dark brown sugar, and white sugar, along with the canola oil. Whisk until completely combined. Add the rum and molasses mixture and whisk until fully incorporated. 

• Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ones. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Fold in the chopped candied ginger. 

• Pour the batter into the prepared round cake pans. Fill the pans to ¾ full instead of the usual ⅔ full. This gives a taller layered cake. If you are using 8-inch pans, you will have extra batter that can be made into cupcakes.

• Bake at 350°F on the middle rack of the oven for 40-45 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached, the cakes are ready to remove from the oven. 
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing them. Run a butter knife or an offset spatula around the rim of the cakes to loosen them from the edges. Place a wire baking rack on top of the cake and carefully invert the pan and rack together to release the cake onto the rack. Remove the parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool completely before slicing them horizontally. 

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

• Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until light and fluffy. 
• Add the powdered sugar. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, two cups at a time until smooth.
• Add the vanilla and nutmeg and continue beating until everything is combined. 

How to Assemble the Cake Layers

• Slice the baked cakes horizontally. Use a long serrated knife to slice off the top of the cake, creating a flat surface. Discard the tops of the cakes. Use a ruler to measure halfway up each cake and then slice horizontally around to divide each cake into two halves. If you have a turntable, it can be helpful to turn the cake while slicing it to make it easier. 

• Spread frosting between the layers. Place one of the bottom layers on a cake platter and spread about one cup of frosting over the top. Continue stacking the layers, spreading frosting between each layer, except for the top layer. Flip the second bottom layer upside down and place it on top of the cake. 

• Create a crumb barrier. Once you have stacked all four layers, frost the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting.  Chill the cake in the freezer for 20 minutes. 

• Remove the cake from the freezer and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting. I garnished the Gingerbread Cake with store-bought gingersnap cookies. 

Tips for this Ginger Cake Recipe

To avoid overbaking, keep a close eye on the cake when it is nearing the end of its baking time. The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few crumbs hanging on.

• Use fancy or unsulfured molasse instead of the blackstrap kind. Blackstrap is too strong and will overpower the other flavors in the recipe. 
• Bring the buttermilk and eggs to room temperature. Remove them from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before starting. 
• If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own. To do this, add one tablespoon of vinegar to a cup measurer and fill the rest of the cup with whole milk. Stir gently and let sit for 10 minutes. Another substitute is to mix ¾ cup of sour cream with ¼ cup of whole milk. 
• Be careful to not overmix the batter or it will become tough and gummy. 
• Avoid overbaking. Keep a close eye on the cake as it is nearing the end of its baking time. The cake is done when it begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs hanging on. 
• These can be made into cupcakes with the same cake batter recipe. The baking time will be much short, anywhere from 18-21 minutes. Frost them with the same frosting recipe and enjoy.
• A turntable can be helpful for horizontally slicing the layers of a cake. Use a long serrated knife and saw back and forth while turning the turntable.  It can also be helpful when frosting the cake.
• Use softened cream cheese and butter for the frosting. This alleviates lumps in the frosting.
• Keep the cake plate clean while frosting by placing three triangular strips of parchment paper underneath the cake. When you are finished frosting, simply pull out the parchment paper and your cake plate will be clean. 
• An offset spatula is one of the best tools for frosting a cake. It creates a nice smooth finish.

Can this ginger cake be made ahead of time?

Yes, and the flavors actually intensify a day or two after you make it. To do this, bake and slice the cake layers. Wrap each one tightly with plastic wrap and then again with foil. They will stay fresh at room temperature for up to two days. Make the frosting a day or two ahead and store it in the refrigerator. When ready to frost the gingerbread cake, beat the frosting again until it is light and fluffy. 

How to Store Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting should be refrigerated to last up to five days. After that, it will start to dry out. To freeze the cake, place it whole or in individual pieces in the freezer for about an hour until frozen. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap followed by foil, and it will store for up to three months. 

I am absolutely crazy about this festive layered gingerbread cake. It is exactly what my Thanksgiving and Christmas table needs to add some extra holiday cheer this year. It is an irresistible and impressive dessert that your guests will love. Try this recipe today and let me know what you think in the comments below. 

More Holiday Dessert Recipes

Puff Pastry Apple Galette

Pumpkin Spice Layered Cake

Chocolate Raspberry Layered Cake

Cherry Cheesecake

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Classic Creme Brulee

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