This holiday season, place this classic gingerbread cake at the center of the dessert table. It's a perfect cake to serve during the fall and winter months. Made the old-fashion way, infused with warm gingerbread spice and the rich flavor of molasses. Sweet vanilla buttercream between layers and a light chocolate ganache frosting makes an elegant presentation to impress guests or serve as a celebration cake.
Table of Content
Is it getting cooler where you are? Well, we still have hot and humid days, but the evenings are getting cooler and bearable. Next week, the kids start school again and summer holidays will be over for the year. For me, the start of fall means the year is coming to an end. Soon, before you realize it we will be all wrapped up in winter clothes and preparing for Christmas.
Which is why I wanted to share this cake with you before it's too late. I made this last year in November for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it so much and I promised to send them the recipe for Christmas. But busy as I was, Christmas came before I could share this recipe. So this year, I promised my friends I'd share this much in advance, so they don't miss it again. Plus, I really want you to try this recipe. It was so good.
About this cake
Can you think of anything more comforting in fall than gingerbread, pumpkin or cinnamon spice? This classic gingerbread cake is an old fashion gingerbread cake and perfect for the holidays when you want a comforting cake with warm gingerbread spices and molasses. A simple, easy, and effortless recipe that can be done in parts until it all comes together in time.
The cake on its own is so delicious you don't need any frosting. It makes a perfect coffee cake on its own, but a few layers of sweet buttercream and dark chocolate ganache makes it dessert-worthy. You won't be able to resist. The light chocolate ganache is a wonderful twist to this cake and one everyone is always surprised.
I remember when my mom made this as a coffee cake on its own she'd say - 'nothing like an old fashion gingerbread cake for tea on a December afternoon.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour - Regular all-purpose flour works just fine in this recipe. You can use cake flour, but you will need two tablespoons more in this recipe.
- Eggs - Use fresh large eggs - to me large eggs are about 60 grams each.
- Oil - Works great to keep the cake moist. I would not recommend substituting the oil for this recipe.
- Baking soda - Works perfectly in this recipe with the buttermilk and oil. So, do not substitute for baking powder or anything else.
- Buttermilk - Provides a nice tender crumb. You can make buttermilk at home in 5 minutes so there is no need to substitute it. Here's how to make homemade buttermilk in 5 minutes.
- Gingerbread spice - One of my favorite cold-weather spice mixes - a beautiful combination of cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg. I even like to add a dash of pepper when I make it homemade.
- Vanilla - Always use good quality vanilla. If it's too expensive, you must try making it at home. Here's how I make - vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or vanilla sugar.
Step by step instructions
Gingerbread cake
- Preheat the oven at 160 C / 320 F.
- Grease and line two 8-inch baking pans or three 6-inch baking pans.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice mix.
- Whip eggs with a pinch of salt for two minutes.
- Then, slowly add the brown and white sugars.
- Continue to whisk until light and fluffy - ribbon stage.
- Add the oil in a slow stream - don't over whip at this time.
- Followed by the molasses and buttermilk.
- Lastly, fold the flour mixture in (I prefer to use a spatula and do this by hand turning the bowl as you combine).
- Pour into the prepared baking pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes clean.
- When baked, cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Vanilla buttercream
- Make sure the butter is room temperature not cold.
- Use a whisk or mixer and cream the butter for a minute.
- Add salt, fresh cream and vanilla – mix a minute longer, until well combined.
- Now, add the powder sugar, 1 cup at a time.
- Once all the powder sugar has been incorporated, continue to mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes more until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.
- The cream in the mixture will whip and give you almost stiff peaks.
- Tip: If you do not whip enough, the buttercream will be soft consistency, which may not be pipeable. So, whip until you have a stable whipped cream kinda light and fluffy frosting. (See video)
Chocolate ganache
- Break the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Pour cream over the chocolate.
- Place the bowl in the microwave for a minute on high.
- Stir well until you have a smooth ganache.
- If necessary – continue to heat in the microwave at 30-sec intervals until you have a smooth mix.
- Cover the surface of the ganache with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming.
- Let the ganache cool at room temperature until it's thick like peanut butter consistency (or place in the fridge to cool it quicker).
Assemble
- When cooled, level the cakes by cutting off any dome.
- Cut each cake horizontally into two layers so you have six cake layers.
- Place one layer on a cake board or cake stand.
- Brush with simple syrup (optional).
- Add about ⅓ cup frosting on the layer and spread evenly.
- Place the second layer followed by more frosting.
- Until you have used all the layers.
- Place the cake in the fridge for 10 minutes so the layers stay in tack.
- Use a spatula and liberally spread the cool chocolate ganache on and around the cake.
- Use the same spatula or bench scraper to smooth the sides.
- Place it in the fridge for an hour to chill.
- Then, dip the spatula or metal bench scraper in warm water and smooth the ganache until you have a smooth as possible ganache cake.
Decorate
- Today, I have used a wafer paper flower to decorate the cake keep it classy. Here are a few more options.
- Melt any remaining ganache for 2o to 30 seconds until pouring consistency then create a drip effect, or
- Piping any remaining ganache as a pretty border on top of the cake.
- You can use store-bought chocolate candy to place on the cake as decorations as well.
Storage
- This cake can stay out on the counter for 3 to 4 days in a cool dry room.
- If you do place it in the fridge - make sure to thaw it an hour or two before serving as it will taste best at room temperature.
More gingerbread flavors
- Spiced Gingerbread Loaf Cake
- Gingerbread Cupcakes with Chocolate Fudge Frosting
- Gingerbread Cookies Recipe
- Gingerbread Spice Mix
- Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies
- or see all layer cakes
Frequently asked questions
If properly stored, this old-fashion gingerbread cake will last for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 or 6 days.
Yes. Preferably before frosting. Freeze the layers on a tray for a few hours then wrap well in cling/plastic wrap, followed by a parchment paper and then aluminum foil. Thaw wrapped in the fridge for 24 hours so the condensation will stay on the papers, not the cake.
The white and brown sugar create a good balance of flavor, taste, and texture so I highly recommend keeping this proportion.
If you don't want to make a layer cake like this,
You can make this into a sheet cake - a 'Gingerbread Sheet Cake'.
You can also pour the batter into a well-greased and dusted bundt pan for a Classic Gingerbread Bundt Cake
And this would also work in a loaf pan as I have made Spiced Gingerbread Loaf Cake without any frosting
This recipe can also be baked into 12 to 15 beautiful Gingerbread cupcakes
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Printable Recipe
Classic Gingerbread Cake Recipe
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Gingerbread cake
- ½ cup (120 ml) Cooking oil (canola)
- ½ cup (110 g) Brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) White sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) Molasses
- 2 Eggs (large)
- 2 ½ cup (310 g) All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon gingerbread spice mix
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Vanilla buttercream
- 8 oz (226 g) Butter ((2 sticks) unsalted, room temperature)
- 3 cup (360 g) Powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Whipping cream (38%)
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla
Chocolate ganache
- 9 oz (250 g) Chocolate
- ¾ cup (180 ml) Whipping Cream (38%)
Instructions
Gingerbread cake
- Preheat the oven at 160 C / 340 F
- Grease and line 2 x 8-inch baking pans or 3 x 6 inch baking pans
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spice mix
- Whip eggs with a pinch of salt for two minutes
- Then slowly add the brown and white sugars –
- Continue to whisk until light and fluffy – ribbon stage.
- Add the oil in a slow stream – don’t over whip at this time.
- Followed by the Molasses and Buttermilk.
- Lastly, fold the flour mixture in (I prefer to use a spatula and do this by hand turning the bowl as you combine)
- Pour into the prepared baking pans
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes clean.
- When baked cool in the pan for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Vanilla buttercream
- Make sure the butter is room temperature not cold
- Use a whisk or mixer and cream the butter for a minute
- Add salt, fresh cream and vanilla – mix a minute longer, until well combined
- Now add the powder sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Once all the powder sugar has been incorporated
- Continue to mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes more until you have a light and fluffy buttercream.
- The cream in the mixture will whip and give you almost stiff peaks.
- Tip: If you do not whip enough the buttercream will be soft consistency which may not be pipeable. So whip until you have a stable whipped cream kinda light and fluffy frosting. (See video)
Chocolate ganache
- Break the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Pour cream over the chocolate.
- Place the bowl in the microwave for a min on high.
- Stir well until you have a smooth ganache.
- If necessary – continue to heat in the microwave at 30-sec intervals until you have a smooth mix.
- Cover the surface of the ganache with plastic wrap to prevent a skin forming.
- Let the ganache cool at room temperature until it’s thick like peanut butter consistency (or place in the fridge to cool it quicker)
Assemble
- When cooled level the cakes by cutting off any dome.
- Cut each cake horizontally into two layers so you have six cake layers
- Place one layer on a cake board or cake stand
- Brush with simple syrup (optional)
- Add about ⅓ cup frosting on the layer and spread evenly.
- Place the second layer followed by more frosting
- Until you have used all the layers.
- Place the cake in the fridge for 10 minutes so the layers stay in tack.
- Use a spatula and liberally spread the cool chocolate ganache on and around the cake.
- Use the same spatula or bench scraper to smooth the sides.
- Place it in the fridge for an hour to chill
- Then dip the spatula or metal bench scraper in warm water and smooth the ganache until you have a smooth as possible ganache cake.
Decorate
- Today I have used a wafer paper flower to decorate the cake keep it classy. Here are a few more options.
- Melt any remaining ganache for 2o to 30 seconds until pouring consistency then create a drip effect or
- Piping any remaining ganache as a pretty border on top of the cake.
- You can use store-bought chocolate candy to place on the cake as decorations as well.
Recipe Notes & Tips
Storage
- This cake can stay out on the counter for 3 to 4 days in a cool dry room.
- If you do place it in the fridge – make sure to thaw it an hour or two before serving as it will taste best at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Mary
Thank you for the recipe,over here in my country Nigeria, black treacle is what we have, can I use it in place of molasses?
Veena Azmanov
Yes, you can use molasses in place of treacle. Though treacle does have a slightly more bitter taste,