Go Back
–+ servings
One-layer gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting on platter.

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Author: Sweet and Savoury Pursuits, cake portion adapted from Fine Cooking.
This Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is so flavourful, incredibly moist and so easy to make, you'll likely find yourself making this more than once during the holiday season!
4.80 from 10 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Western
Servings 9
Calories 338 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Classic Gingerbread Cake

  • 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¾ cup dark molasses
  • ¾ cup chai tea

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • ½ package regular cream cheese softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2-½ cups icing sugar

Garnish:

  • 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Instructions
 

For the Classic Gingerbread Cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
  • Slightly butter an 8x8-inch cake pan and line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two opposite sides, this will make it easier to lift the cake out. Butter the paper slightly.
  • In a glass measuring cup, combine ¾ cup of boiling water with 1 chai tea bag, set aside to steep.
  • Into a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter until smooth.
  • Add the brown sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg. Beat until well combined.
  • Keep beating and slowly add in the molasses.
  • Add in half of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until well combined.
  • Scrape down the sides of your bowl again and then add the remaining dry ingredients.
  • Slowly add the chai tea and stir until well combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
  • Let cool for 10 min before lifting the paper and cake out of pan.
  • Let cool on rack (with paper).
  • Once cake has cooled remove paper and place on serving dish.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In the bowl of your mixer, on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  • Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, beat for 1 more minute.
  • With the mixer on the lowest speed, add one cup of icing sugar at a time until you have the desired consistency, I used 2 ½ cups of icing sugar.
  • Frost the cooled cake and if desired top with the chopped crystallized ginger.

Notes

  1. To make it easier to get the molasses out of the measuring cup rub a drop of oil in your measuring cup before filing it with molasses. The molasses will slide right down the measuring cup.
  2. Boiled water or brewed coffee can be used instead of chai tea. Just make sure to use the same amount (¾ of a cup). 

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 3gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 473mgFiber: 1gSugar: 44gVitamin A: 263IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Classic Gingerbread Cake, Gingerbread Cake, Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Tried this recipe? Have any questions, comments or suggestions? Leave a comment below!Mention @sweetandsavourypursuits or tag #sweetandsavourypursuits!