This Gingerbread Cake is ideal for the vacations! A moist and scrumptious ginger cake with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
My piping sport shouldn’t be on level — I significantly must spend a while working towards. It might assist if my fingers weren’t completely shaking any time I attempt to pipe one thing.
I may by no means be a surgeon or knowledgeable Jenga participant. For sure, probably the most tedious and irritating a part of this gingerbread cake was the gingerbread homes.
What I thought can be a fast, straightforward, cute addition turned out to be an enormous ache within the butt. Principally attributable to my impatience, which is nothing new!
I at all times have a tough time attempting to determine how I need to adorn my truffles. I normally find yourself on Pinterest, disillusioned and grumpy, trying to find concepts.
The inspiration for this gingerbread cake got here from this cute one that I got here throughout. SO cute proper?? Her gingerbread homes are clearly selfmade, however there was no approach I used to be doing that.
Mini Gingerbread Homes
So there I’m, 10pm on a Tuesday night time, and I’m looking out on-line for mini gingerbread homes, questioning the place I can get them asap domestically.
I can’t even keep in mind how I knew that you might purchase a mini gingerbread home package. Perhaps I had seen it someplace earlier than? No concept.
These had been simpler to seek out than anticipated, however in fact, I used to be panicked about it since I had a schedule I wished to stay to. I used to be thisclose to heading to Walmart at 10:30pm to test if they’d them.
Sanity kicked in and I waited until the following day and obtained them at Michaels. After all, I’m seeing them all over the place now!
The truth that the gingerbread package got here with pre-made royal icing was a bonus. This was going to be so straightforward! (Yeah proper).
I separated all of the items and trimmed them in order that they had been completely straight and the identical measurement. You don’t want to do that, but it surely definitely helps with meeting and getting a cleaner look.
I piped the small print of all sides and roof earlier than assembling the homes, as I figured it might be simpler that approach (it was, for probably the most half).
The challenge got here with the ready time.
You needed to wait like an hour (a minimum of) for the icing to dry so that you may assemble the homes. Then, as soon as the perimeters had been put collectively, you had been supposed to attend like 3 extra hours earlier than placing the roof on – what?! Who has that kinda time/persistence? Not I.
I did wait a superb hour and was fairly happy with myself for even lasting that lengthy. To no shock, the homes weren’t fairly set and had been wobbly as I used to be placing them collectively. For probably the most half, it went okay, aside from the ONE home I wished to be excellent: the rattling A-frame.
This one was the trickiest to place collectively as a result of it doesn’t have 4 partitions standing so you’ll be able to simply slap the roof on. It needed to be assembled in a single go.
Adorning these items upfront made it more durable to place this one collectively. Now that I give it some thought, I most likely ought to have learn the directions on methods to put this one collectively correctly. Meh. Anyhow, it was a large number.
The back and front stored sliding inwards, and I hadn’t let the decorations on the roof dry sufficient, so I used to be making good dents in them. SIGH. Lastly, it was standing by itself and I left it… for about an hour (NOT lengthy sufficient).
I nonetheless needed to put the ending touches on it — the icing across the entrance (which I scraped off 3x as a result of I didn’t prefer it) and the icicles (which you’ll be able to’t even actually inform are there). For sure, the silly factor collapsed on me a number of occasions, and I ended up having to take it aside altogether and redo it.
Why is nothing straightforward? Oh yeah, as a result of I rush and don’t comply with directions.
ANYhow, after spending WAY extra time than anticipated on these homes, I had lastly completed them and left them to set correctly in a single day.
I wasn’t going to make use of the A-frame on the cake in any case since I wasn’t pleased with the way it turned out, but it surely was actually the one one which match correctly on this 6″ cake. Plus, I nonetheless assume it’s the cutest one. So, regardless of it not being excellent, there it’s, perched on prime of this Gingerbread Cake.
I used Wilton petal tip #102 (I believe? I’m additionally horrible at writing issues down – it was both #102 or #103) to do the entrance of the homes, however in any other case, I used the small spherical tip that was offered within the package.
I like how properly the petal tip labored! This was truly the very first thing I attempted on the A-frame, however I made a decision I didn’t prefer it, scraped it off, tried a pair different methods, scraped these off, and redid the ruffle… once more. FML.
How one can Make this Gingerbread Layer Cake
Home adorning points apart, I’m fairly pleased with the way in which this Gingerbread Cake turned out! It’s a easy and scrumptious recipe. The important thing factor is to make use of the appropriate molasses. Do not use blackstrap. Blackstrap molasses is approach too sturdy and can overpower the cake.
We are able to get fancy molasses right here in Canada, however in case you can’t discover that common unsulphured molasses will work too. If the one factor you could find is blackstrap then use half blackstrap and half golden syrup. For those who can’t discover molasses in any respect, treacle is a good substitute!
Cream Cheese Frosting
The frosting is an easy and scrumptious cream cheese frosting. I’ve since revised the recipe for the cream cheese frosting I take advantage of, however both one is equally scrumptious.
The little rosemary bushes are my favourite half! Actually, this Gingerbread Cake would look simply as fairly with only a rosemary tree forest and no home in any respect. Perhaps an concept for a cake subsequent yr.
This Gingerbread Cake is truthfully probably the greatest issues I’ve ever had. It tastes like a Starbucks gingerbread loaf, however 1,000,000 occasions higher.
The tangy cream cheese frosting pairs so properly with the candy spice cake. An ideal cake in your vacation celebrations!
Steadily Requested Questions
How can I convert this recipe?
- The recipe as-is can even work in two 8″ pans. For 3 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time might have to be adjusted.
- To make cupcakes, all it’s worthwhile to do is scale back the baking time — begin checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes relying on measurement.
- For different conversions go right here. Bake time might differ relying on pan measurement.
- Baking time will differ in case you change the pan measurement. Each oven is totally different so I can’t say for sure what you’ll want to regulate it to. Make sure to test on the truffles whereas they’re baking.
Can I make it upfront?
- The cooled cake layers could be baked forward of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for as much as 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours earlier than meeting.
- The frosting could be positioned in an hermetic container and refrigerated for 1 week or frozen for 3 months. Convey to room temp and rewhip earlier than utilizing.
- The completed cake (complete or sliced, saved hermetic) could be frozen for as much as 3 months.
Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?
- There’s a Metric choice within the recipe card. For those who click on it it’ll convert all the pieces to grams.
- This conversion is completed robotically and I can not assure the accuracy however many readers have had success utilizing the metric choice on my recipes.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
- Buttermilk shouldn’t be elective and can’t be swapped for milk as it’ll have an effect on the general outcome.
- For finest outcomes, use precise buttermilk, however in case you don’t have any you may make your individual at house by combining 3/4 cup of milk (complete milk ideally, however I typically simply use 1%) with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit for 10mins.
Why can’t I take advantage of Blackstrap molasses?
- Blackstrap molasses is sort of a bit stronger than the flamboyant molasses I’ve used right here. It can overpower the flavour. If that’s all you could find I like to recommend utilizing half the quantity of molasses and including an equal a part of golden syrup. Unsulphured molasses ought to work superb.
- For those who can’t discover molasses in any respect, treacle is a good substitute.
Suggestions for this Gingerbread Cake:
- Dec 15, 2019 – Recipe revised to make taller layers. The layers ought to bake as much as be 2″ tall in three 6″ cake pans.
- This recipe makes use of fancy molasses, which is a lighter, sweeter molasses. Do NOT use blackstrap molasses. If that’s all you could find, use half blackstrap and half golden syrup.
- You probably have gingerbread spice combine you need to use 3 3/4 tsps of that as an alternative of the spices within the cake batter.
- For those who plan to make gingerbread homes as ornament, be taught from my errors and allow them to set correctly between levels.
- Discover ways to hold your truffles moist utilizing Easy Syrup.
- To assist guarantee your cake layers bake up good and flat, see my ideas right here.
Gingerbread Cake
This Gingerbread Cake is ideal for the vacations! A moist and scrumptious ginger cake with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12
Energy 543kcal
Components
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese full fats, room temperature
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
Gingerbread Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour three 6″ cake rounds, line with parchment.
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In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Put aside.
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Utilizing a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter till clean. Add sugars and beat on med-high till pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
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Cut back pace and add eggs separately, absolutely incorporating after every addition. Add molasses and vanilla and blend till included.
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Alternate including flour combination and buttermilk, starting and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and a couple of of milk). Totally incorporating after every addition. Don’t overmix.
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Unfold batter evenly into ready pans. Clean the tops with a spatula.
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Bake for approx. 30-35mins or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out largely clear.
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Place truffles on wire rack to chill for 10mins then end up onto wire rack to chill fully.
Meeting:
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Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. High with 2/3 cup of frosting. Repeat with remaining layers and apply a skinny coat of frosting all around the cake to crumb coat. Chill for 20mins. Frost the cake with a country sample utilizing the remaining buttercream.
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High with gingerbread and sprigs of rosemary if desired.
Energy: 543kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 4gFats: 29gSaturated Fats: 17gLdl cholesterol: 108mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 330mgSugar: 55gVitamin A: 960IUCalcium: 97mgIron: 1.7mg
The dietary info and metric conversions are calculated robotically. I can not assure the accuracy of this knowledge. If that is essential to you, please confirm together with your favourite diet calculator and/or metric conversion software.
Up to date Nov 1, 2022. Initially printed Nov 27, 2016.
