Gingerbread Cake
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 12
Christmas, in my mind, deserves a showstopper dessert. In years past, I’ve made Norwegian cream cake with sugar dusted cranberries and a yule log that took three days to make and homemade cheesecake is always impressive. This gingerbread cake comes together easily, and it is super cute decorated with my vanilla glazed gingersnaps.
This is a dense cake filled with delicious holiday spice and sweetened with a light frosting of vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour1 cup all-purpose flour1 tablespoon ground ginger2 teaspoons cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon allspice1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature1/2 cup dark brown sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon baking soda1 1/4 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt (Reduce to 1 teaspoon if using other salt.)1 cup molasses1/2 cup hot water1 teaspoon vanilla bean pasteZest of 1 orange
Buttercream3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature3 cups powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2) Line the bottom of a 9-inche springform pan with parchment paper. 3) Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with the butter wrapper. 4) In a large bowl, combine flour and dry spices. 5) In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter and dark brown sugar.6) Mix to cream the butter and sugar, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl occasionally. 7) With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time. Mix to combine before adding the second egg. Mix well. 8) Add the salt and baking soda. Mix well.9) Add the orange zest, vanilla, molasses, and hot water. Mix on low. Turn up the speed as the ingredients are combined. (This does look curdled but comes together when the dry ingredients are added.)10) Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the flour and spice mix and stir with a spoon or spatula. 11) Add the batter to the pan. 12) Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. 13) The cake is done when a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 14) Cool the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack until it is completely cool. 15) When the cake is cool, make the buttercream by mixing butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a mixer or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. 16) Once the buttercream begins to come together, add the heavy cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. (It should be thick but spreadable.)17) With a bread knife, cut the cake in half. Place the bottom half on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1/3 of the buttercream. 18) Place the top half of the cake on top. Spread the remaining 2/3 of the butter cream on the top and sides of the cake. 19) Decorate the sides of the cake with gingersnap cutouts.
This is a dense cake filled with delicious holiday spice and sweetened with a light frosting of vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour1 cup all-purpose flour1 tablespoon ground ginger2 teaspoons cinnamon1/4 teaspoon ground cloves1/4 teaspoon allspice1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature1/2 cup dark brown sugar2 eggs1 teaspoon baking soda1 1/4 teaspoon Diamond kosher salt (Reduce to 1 teaspoon if using other salt.)1 cup molasses1/2 cup hot water1 teaspoon vanilla bean pasteZest of 1 orange
Buttercream3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature3 cups powdered sugar1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2) Line the bottom of a 9-inche springform pan with parchment paper. 3) Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with the butter wrapper. 4) In a large bowl, combine flour and dry spices. 5) In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle, add the butter and dark brown sugar.6) Mix to cream the butter and sugar, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl occasionally. 7) With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time. Mix to combine before adding the second egg. Mix well. 8) Add the salt and baking soda. Mix well.9) Add the orange zest, vanilla, molasses, and hot water. Mix on low. Turn up the speed as the ingredients are combined. (This does look curdled but comes together when the dry ingredients are added.)10) Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the flour and spice mix and stir with a spoon or spatula. 11) Add the batter to the pan. 12) Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. 13) The cake is done when a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 14) Cool the cake in the pan on a wire cooling rack until it is completely cool. 15) When the cake is cool, make the buttercream by mixing butter, sugar, and vanilla together in a mixer or in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. 16) Once the buttercream begins to come together, add the heavy cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. (It should be thick but spreadable.)17) With a bread knife, cut the cake in half. Place the bottom half on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1/3 of the buttercream. 18) Place the top half of the cake on top. Spread the remaining 2/3 of the butter cream on the top and sides of the cake. 19) Decorate the sides of the cake with gingersnap cutouts.