Gingerbread Cake

This Gingerbread Cake with cream cheese frosting is a Christmas tradition! This pretty sheet cake has a fun presentation topped with plump gingerbread cookies as a garnish. You can serve it for holiday brunch with the family or as a festive Christmas dessert.

Ingredients to Make Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Gingerbread recipes are synonymous with the holidays! This Gingerbread Cake is a festive dessert you can serve for fall family gatherings, December Christmas parties or entertaining friends and family. Key ingredients to make a Gingerbread Cake: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card).

• Flour – Three cups all purpose flour forms the base of the cake batter.
• Spices – One tablespoon ground ginger, two teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.
• Leavening – Baking powder, baking soda and salt give lift to the batter.
• Butter – Softened unsalted butter for richness. 
• Sugar – Two cups light brown sugar or dark brown sugar for sweetness.
• Molasses – Unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap molasses) for the sweet signature flavor.
• Whole Eggs – Three large eggs binds the batter.
• Flavoring – Two teaspoons vanilla extract for sweet floral notes.
• Milk – One cup buttermilk, preferably whole buttermilk, well shaken.
• Cream Cheese Frosting – Cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
• Garnish – Gingersnap cookies and gingerbread men for decorating the top

How to Make the BEST Gingerbread Cake Recipe

• Heat Oven and Prepare Pan – Preheat oven to 350°F and spray pan with nonstick baking spray.
• Sift Dry Ingredients –  Use a whisk to sift together the flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cloves and ground nutmeg.
• Creamed Ingredients – Use a hand mixer to combine butter, light brown sugar and molasses on high speed for about two minutes or until well blended.  
• Add Eggs – Add the eggs and vanilla beating until well combined.
• Combine – On low speed add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients, beat to combine.
• Buttermilk – Add the buttermilk to the bowl beating on low just until combined.
• Transfer to Prepared Pan – Pour the batter evenly onto a prepared jelly roll pan.
• Oven – Bake per the cook time in the recipe until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes back clean.
• Cool the Cake – Remove the cake from the oven allowing to cool completely in the pan before frosting.
• Make Cream Cheese Frosting – Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar together until smooth.
• Frost the Cake – Smooth an even layer of frosting over the top of the cooled cake and decorate as desired with gingerbread cookies.

Tips for Making a Homemade Gingerbread Cake

• Kitchen Tools You’ll Need: Measuring cups and spoons, stand mixer or hand mixer large bowl, medium bowl, whisk, spatula, 15×10-inch jelly roll pan or 13×9-inch baking pan, parchment paper, icing spatula and cooling rack.
• Thicker Cake Will Bake Longer: Should you choose to bake this cake in a 13×9-inch pan, the cake will be thicker and may take longer to bake. Always test the center looking for a clean toothpick before removing from the oven.
• Measure the Dry Ingredients Accurately: It’s important to measure out the flour accurately. Too much or too little flour, will affect how the cake turns out. To accurately measure the flour spoon the flour into the measuring cup on the counter and level. If you use the measuring cup to scoop flour directly from the bag, you’ll likely end up with 25% more flour than you actually need because the flour gets packed down into the cup. This may result in a dry cake.
• Use Classic Cream Cheese for the Frosting: Use the block style of cream cheese, not the spreadable kind you’d put on a bagel for the frosting.
• Allow Time for the Cream Cheese to Soften: It’s important to let the cream cheese soften to room temperature before using it in this frosting recipe. Be sure to beat the softened cream cheese with the softened butter and vanilla extract until smooth before adding in the confectioners’ sugar.
• Why Do Some Ingredients Need to be Room Temperature for this Recipe? Having all ingredients around the same temperature helps all the ingredients to blend together properly.
• What to Serve with Gingerbread Cake: You don’t need anything else to go with this cake. That said, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce with a cup of warm mulled cider or homemade eggnog would all be festive additions.

Removing the Cooled Gingerbread Cake from the Pan

• Cool the Cake: Be sure the cake has cooled before trying to remove it from the cake pan.
• Before Frosting: Place a wire rack covered with parchment paper (to prevent sticking) on top of the cake (parchment side on top of the cake then the wire rack on top of parchment paper so the wire rack is facing your hands).
• Flip the Cake: Flip the cake pan upside down so the cake is now upside down on the parchment lined wire rack.
• Remove the Pan: Remove the cake pan from the upside down cake carefully then place the cake board on the cake (this cake board will be on the bottom of the cake) and flip it back over again so the cake is now the right side up on the cake board.

Recipe Variations

• Frosting: You can frost this cake with homemade Vanilla Buttercream in place of cream cheese icing.
• Nuts: You could add one cup of toasted pecans or walnuts to the cake batter.
• Optional Decoration: You may choose to simply sprinkle the top of the cake with powdered sugar or add a dusting of ground cinnamon on the frosting. Decorate with sugared cranberries and rosemary sprigs.
• Pans: You can turn this into a layer cake baking the cake batter in three 8-inch or 9-inch cake tins. The baking time may need to be adjusted so always check the centers with a toothpick before removing from the oven.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers: Store cream cheese frosted Gingerbread Cake covered and chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: You can freeze this cake for up to 2 months. When freezing in the pan, cover with plastic wrap and then wrap in foil. Thaw in the fridge prior to serving.

More Holiday Dessert Recipes to Make

• Hello Dolly Bars are a must make for your holiday goodies tray.
• You’ll love my take on this New York Style Cheesecake Recipe.
• No time to bake? Make this Holiday inspired Christmas Dessert Board for snacking.
• Single serving Gingerbread Cupcakes.
• This dipped Chocolate Ritz Peanut Butter Crackers are a vintage treat that never gets old.
• Cute as a button Santa Hat Brownies.
• Classic cutout Gingerbread Cookies can be made into any shape you like and decorated to suit your fancy.
• Gingerbread Cookie Truffles from Six Sisters Stuff.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Jelly Roll Pan
• Mixer
• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Set