Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting Recipe
This Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting is a cozy and festive holiday classic perfect for warming up cold winter days. Featuring moist, spiced gingerbread cake layers richly flavored with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, it is topped with a luscious cream cheese and molasses frosting that adds a delightful sweetness with a hint of cinnamon. Easy to prepare and bake, this cake makes a perfect centerpiece for holiday gatherings or a comforting treat anytime during the season.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Total Time: 50-55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup hot water
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (if needed for consistency)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking pan to ensure the cake doesn’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and packed brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Molasses: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then mix in the molasses until uniformly combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in portions, alternating with the hot water. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and spread to smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully baked.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the molasses and ground cinnamon, mixing well to combine.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is fluffy and smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
- Frost and Serve: Once the cake has cooled completely, spread the cinnamon molasses frosting evenly over the top. Slice and serve your cozy holiday gingerbread cake.
Notes
- Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- For deeper spice flavor, you can toast whole spices before grinding.
- Molasses adds rich flavor and moisture—do not substitute with dark corn syrup.
- If you prefer a lighter frosting, you can reduce powdered sugar slightly but frosting may be less stable.
- This cake can be stored covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
Keywords: gingerbread cake, cinnamon molasses frosting, holiday cake, spiced cake, Christmas dessert, winter dessert, cream cheese frosting, festive cake
