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Moist Gingerbread Cake Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 137 reviews

This Moist Gingerbread Cake is a richly spiced, tender cake perfect for holiday celebrations or cozy gatherings. Infused with traditional warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and sweetened with molasses, this cake is topped with a luscious molasses buttercream frosting that adds an extra layer of flavor and moisture. Easy to prepare and baked in a 9×9 pan, it’s ideal for sharing and sure to delight fans of classic gingerbread.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 3/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • 1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup whole milk (room temperature)
  • 1/3 cup unsulphured molasses
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup hot water

Frosting

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • Pinch fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Pan and Oven: Line a metal 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, fine sea salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, sour cream, eggs, vegetable oil, whole milk, molasses, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogeneous.
  4. Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and gently whisk until just combined. It’s fine if the batter has some small lumps; overmixing is avoided to keep the cake tender.
  5. Add Hot Water: Fold in the hot water carefully until it is just incorporated into the batter for added moisture and a smooth texture.
  6. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Once done, place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove Cake from Pan: Carefully lift the parchment paper to remove the cake from the pan and place it directly on the rack to cool completely before frosting.
  8. Prepare the Frosting: Beat the softened butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed. Then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Mix in molasses, heavy cream, vanilla extract, a pinch of fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon until combined and smooth.
  9. Frost the Cake: Spoon the molasses buttercream frosting over the cooled gingerbread cake. Use the back of a spoon to create decorative swoops and swirls on the frosting surface.
  10. Garnish and Serve: Optionally decorate with mini gingerbread men cookies, sprinkles, or sugared cranberries. Cut the cake into 16 servings and enjoy your moist gingerbread delight!

Notes

  • For the best texture, measure the flour using the spoon and level method to avoid dense cake.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for even mixing and better rise.
  • The hot water added at the end helps to make the batter smoother and the cake moister.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once the dry and wet ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender.
  • Ensure the cake is completely cool before frosting to prevent melting.
  • You can substitute the unsulphured molasses with dark molasses but expect a slightly different flavor intensity.

Keywords: gingerbread cake, molasses cake, holiday cake, spiced cake, moist gingerbread, gingerbread dessert

Find it online: https://leofoster.com/moist-gingerbread-cake-recipe/