Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
With the perfect amount of gingerbread flavor, lemon cream cheese icing, and an airy crumb, this not too sweet gingerbread cake is the perfect addition to holiday baking.
If the aroma of gingerbread wafting from the oven could be bottled, I would in a heartbeat, especially knowing the baked good in tow is a light, and fluffy, gingerbread cake—it doesn’t get much better. I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, that desserts with ingredients like pumpkin or molasses, can be bogged down and heavy, but while recipe testing, I was determined to create a gingerbread cake that is instead, flavorful and light. And gingerbread paired with a lemon cream cheese icing!? Now we are talking about the kind of cake worthy of the Christmas table—this cake will certainly be served at my house this year.
What Constitutes Gingerbread?
“Gingerbread Spice” can be bought at the store, but i’ve found the best gingerbread flavor includes a few individual spices and ingredients, needed in combination, to make the traditional gingerbread flavor we all know and love—warm, comforting, not too sweet with a little ginger kick. With this cake, you will find the following ingredients: molasses, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and even a few cracks of black pepper. Yes, black pepper! It’s a secret ingredient that gives this cake a wonderful depth of flavor. For gingerbread, it’s important to have a punch of flavor, so these spices shouldn’t be shied away from, but it’s also important to achieve balance, making sure they don’t overpower the cake. This part of the recipe testing process can be daunting, but it’s also the best part, because when done right, it yields a special dessert.
What Makes This Cake Special?
The method for this gingerbread cake is similar to the method of chocolate cake. The molasses is mixed with hottest tap water, before alternating the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Buttermilk is also used as an essential ingredient, knowing that tangy favor pairs perfectly with the gingerbread spices, while also keeping the cake light and moist. As with all my cakes, I use a combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour, which I found, after much trial and error, makes a perfect cake crumb. Further, in regards to the icing, ginger and lemon is a delicious combination, that doesn’t necessarily typical, but if these flavors are enjoyed separately, they will be loved together.
Final Tip
For a more traditional gingerbread cake, simply substitute the lemon juice and zest with a splash of vanilla extract. Further, if desired, cinnamon or other spices can be added to the icing in substitution of lemon. Start with a small amount of spice, as it can’t be removed once added, and flavor to taste. Lastly, chocolate is another icing alternative, as some people enjoy ginger and chocolate as a flavor combination. Have fun with this cake, there are endless combinations to try!
Quick Blog Post Links
Instructions on properly measuring flour here.
My five best cake tips here.
Information about bringing dairy to room temperature here.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks salted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, not packed
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 3 cracks of fresh black pepper or small pinch ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup molasses
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup hottest tap water
- 8 ounce block cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
- 3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar depending on desired consistency and sweetness
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice depending on desired tartness
- zest of lemon to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Generously butter and flour two 9" cake pans. To guarantee the cake won't stick, line the bottom of the greased cake pans with parchment paper rounds. Set aside.
- In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for 4 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the bowl on medium speed. Once incorporated, turn the mixer back to medium-high speed for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, briefly mixing batter until smooth, scraping the bowl after each egg addition.
- In a separate bowl, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, black pepper and salt. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.
- Add measured buttermilk, molasses and hottest tap water into a glass measuring cup and whisk until smooth.
- Alternating between the dry ingredients and the molasses mixture, add 1/3 of flour into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with 1/2 of the molasses mixture, followed by another 1/3 of the flour and the second 1/2 of the molasses mixture. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed so the flour and molasses mixture don't splash out of the bowl. Scrape the bowl, making sure any dry ingredients trapped at the bottom are brought to the top. After scraping, turn the mixer up to medium speed for just a few seconds ensuring the batter is fully mixed and smooth.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans. Start assessing your cakes at 20 minutes, but they could take up to 25 minutes or more to cook depending on your oven's temperature. When a toothpick inserted comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool pans for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pan, and turning out the cake. Place cake on wire rack to finish cooling. Once cake is cooled, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. This step is optional, but makes icing the cake easier.
- With an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until there are no lumps and the consistency is smooth.
- Add sifted powdered sugar to the bowl, 1 cup at a time, mixing first on low speed to prevent splashing, then turning the mixer to medium-high for 30 seconds. Repeat process with remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar. Add lemon juice and lemon zest and mix on medium speed for a few more seconds. Give the mixing bowl a good scrape and briefly mix one more time to complete the icing.
- Place one layer of cake on a clean turn table or cake board with a small dollop of icing underneath. This works as a glue, helping prevent the cake layers from sliding around while icing. Place a large dollop of icing on top of the first cake layer, and spread evenly with a small offset spatula or knife. Place the second cake layer on top of icing. Place another large dollop of icing onto the cake, smoothing the top evenly and letting excess icing drop to the side of the cake.
- With the rest of the icing, using an offset spatula, put a even layer of icing around the entire cake, with a back and forth motion.
- Using a bench scraper (also known as cake smoother) with your dominant hand, hold it steady against the cake, but slightly angled toward the cake, to aid in smoothing, and slowly move the turn table with the other hand, while not moving the scraper and keeping it as straight and steady as possible. As excess icing builds on the scraper, place it back into the mixing bowl, and continue smoothing the cake with a clean scraper. This cake is intended to be semi-naked, so as you scrape the excess icing off the cake, bits of the cake underneath will be exposed. See blog pictures for reference.
- While smoothing the sides, a lip of icing will form around the top of the cake. Using an offset spatula, gently sweep away the lip with a motion toward the center of the cake. Rotate the cake and sweep until the lip has been removed and top of the cake is smooth. Any leftover icing can be used to decorate the cake with a beaded boarder, or another decoration of choice. Store cake in the refrigerator until 2 hours before serving.
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