Recipe Index

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsulphured or dark molasses
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Spiced cream cheese frosting (optional):
• 8 ounces full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Small pinch each of ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves
• Optional: sprinkles and/or sugared cranberries, for garnish

Method

1. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, heat it to 350°F, and grease a 9-inch springform, 9-inch square or 11 by 7-inch pan.
2. Whisk the flour with the baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk the molasses into the hot water in a separate jug until combined.
4. Beat the softened butter until creamy, about 1 minute, beat in the brown sugar for another minute, then beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
5. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the molasses water and beginning and ending with dry, mixing only until each addition disappears.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean with only a couple of moist crumbs attached.
7. Cool the gingerbread completely in its pan on a wire rack before frosting it.
8. For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy and lump-free, about 2 minutes, then beat in the confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and the pinches of cinnamon, ginger and cloves until completely smooth.
9. Spread the spiced cream cheese frosting over the cooled cake, add sprinkles or sugared cranberries if using, and slice it to serve.

Total: 3h 55m

Nutrition (per serving, where published)

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data