Introduction

This gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting is a perfect treat for the holiday season or any cozy gathering. It combines warm spices with a rich, tangy frosting for a deliciously moist and flavorful dessert.

A white rectangular dish contains six square pieces of a creamy light brown dessert, each topped with slightly swirled frosting that has a smooth, fluffy texture. Scattered on top are small gingerbread cookies, shaped like gingerbread men and snowflakes, decorated with simple white icing. The dish rests on a white marbled surface, and in the background, a green cloth is softly draped. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
¾ cup molasses
1 cup hot water
8 oz cream cheese (softened)
½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Mini gingerbread cookies or gingerbread men (for decoration)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar with a hand mixer until smooth and light. Add the eggs and molasses, mixing until combined.
Step 4: Slowly add the dry mixture, alternating with hot water, mixing until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Step 6: For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and softened butter together until creamy using a hand mixer.
Step 7: Add vanilla extract, molasses, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves, mixing until fully combined.
Step 8: Gradually add powdered sugar, continuing to mix until the frosting is fluffy and smooth.
Step 9: Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
Step 10: Garnish with mini gingerbread cookies or crushed gingerbread pieces for decoration.

Tips & Variations

For a moister cake, substitute half the hot water with brewed strong black tea or coffee to enhance the spices.
Use light molasses for a milder flavor, or dark molasses for a richer taste.
Add chopped crystallized ginger to the batter for extra zing.
Make individual cupcakes using this recipe; reduce baking time to 20–25 minutes.

Storage

Store the gingerbread cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving. Reheat slices gently in the microwave if you prefer it warm, but frosting is best served chilled.

How to Serve

A square piece of moist brown cake sits on a white plate with a golden fork to its left. The cake has one layer of thick light beige frosting evenly spread on top. On the frosting, there are two gingerbread cookies: one shaped like a snowflake with white icing details and the other shaped like a gingerbread man with three white dots for buttons. The plate is on a white marbled surface, with cinnamon sticks visible at the bottom right corner and a dark green cloth blurred in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this cake dairy-free?

You can substitute the butter and cream cheese with dairy-free alternatives. Use plant-based butter and a dairy-free cream cheese to keep the texture and flavor close to the original.

Why is my gingerbread cake dry?

The batter is naturally thin and the cake should be moist. Make sure not to overbake and check doneness with a toothpick. Also, measure flour accurately and avoid packing it too tightly.