Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Complexity: easily
Servings: 8 - 10

Like most gingerbread cookies, this cake only gets better with age. When you first bake the layers, they'll be light and airy. Wrapping them in plastic wrap and leaving them overnight will make them moist, and the warm, spiced flavor will intensify. Either way, the cake is deliciously homemade and perfect for the winter holidays. If you can't find gingerbread men to decorate it, don't worry: the cake itself will be a delight. Sprinkle it with nonpareils in the Christmas colors—red, green, and white.

Ingredients:

Cake

• 2.5 cups premium flour
• 220g unsalted butter, room temperature, plus extra for greasing pans
• 1 tbsp. ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 1 cup of boiling water
• Special equipment: a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip or a zip-lock bag

Glaze

• 110 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 package (220 g) of cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 cups (450 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Milk, as needed

Decoration

• 0.5 tbsp. white chocolate granules
• 20 - 24 mini gingerbread men, depending on size
• Red, green, and white nonpareils, for sprinkling

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

premium flour, cream cheese, eggs, molasses, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, carnation

We recommend

Preparation:

Step 1
• Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease and flour two 20cm cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
Step 2
• Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3
• In another large bowl, beat the brown sugar and butter with a mixer on high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat until smooth (it's okay if the mixture looks a little curdled).
Step 4
• Stir the molasses into the boiling water in a large measuring cup with a spout. With the mixer running on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the dissolved molasses, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium-high, and mix until smooth (do not overmix).
Step 5
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few crumbs, 22-27 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. Once cool, invert the cakes onto a wire rack, then remove the pans and peel off the parchment.
Step 6
• Glaze:
  
  In a clean mixer bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and gradually increase speed to high. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adding up to 1 more tablespoon of milk if it's too thick to spread.
  
Step 7
• Place one cake layer flat side down on a cake stand or platter. Spread about 3/4 cup frosting on top, spreading it almost to the edges with an offset spatula. Place the remaining cake layer flat side up on top. Spread the remaining frosting over the entire cake and smooth the top and sides with an offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake while you decorate the gingerbread men.
Step 8
• Decoration:
  
  Meanwhile, microwave the white chocolate in a bowl until just melted. Alternatively, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Let cool slightly and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or use a zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe eyes and smiley faces onto the gingerbread men.
  
Step 9
• Press the cheerful gingerbread men side by side along the bottom edge of the cake to adhere. Sprinkle the cake with nonpareils.
  
  
  Chef's note
  
  When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.

Votes: 1