Small Batch Gingerbread Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
I’m now obsessed with these tiny layered cakes (loaf pan desserts are just the best!). This small batch gingerbread cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting brings all the warm holiday vibes in a cute and delicious package.
As someone who never decorates a gingerbread house well, but always wishes it was at least edible, I thought: why not try it with a small cake? So I did, and while just as uggo, it’s an absolute knockout in every forkful.
You can also skip the house decorations and just frost per usual for an adorable holiday cake.
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SMALL BATCH GINGERBREAD CAKE
If you too love a spice cake, especially when there’s a chill in the air, let this be the seasonal treat for you.
The gingerbread cake bakes up right in a loaf pan, then is sliced and layered with a simple, brown butter cream cheese frosting. Decorate as desired, though I highly recommend the fun of transforming it into your own gingerbread house!
Do I have to brown the butter? Nope! The brown butter adds a rich nutty flavor to the cream cheese frosting, but you can absolutely omit that step and just use room temperature butter.
INGREDIENTS
- All-purpose flour: The structure of the cake.
- Baking powder: Helps the cake rise and creates a light texture.
- Baking soda: Helps with rise and balancing acidity.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the cake and frosting.
- Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg: Provide the warm, spicy flavor in the gingerbread.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps keep it tender.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together, providing structure and moisture.
- Molasses: Gives the cake its classic gingerbread flavor, deep color, and moisture.
- Olive oil: Adds moisture and keeps the cake soft.
- Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and moisture while helping create a tender cake.
- Sour cream: Adds richness, moisture, and softness to the cake.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavors of both the cake and frosting.
- Salted butter: Provides the rich, nutty brown butter flavor base in the frosting.
- Cream cheese: Adds tanginess and a smooth, creamy texture to the frosting.
- Milk: Adjusts the frosting’s consistency for easy spreading.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the frosting and thickens it to a smooth, spreadable consistency.
What does gingerbread cake taste like? Think of it as carrot cake’s richer sibling. The spice level is a little higher, and the molasses contributes a deep color and flavor. It also leans a smidge less sweet!
HOW TO MAKE SMALL BATCH GINGERBREAD CAKE
Start by browning your butter…
For the brown butter cream cheese frosting, your butter needs time to cool before using. Place the butter in a small pot over high heat, whisking constantly until it begins to turn light brown, then turn off the heat and continue whisking until it reaches a deep brown color.
Immediately pour the browned butter into a heat-safe bowl and let it cool at room temperature for a few minutes before transferring it to the fridge for 45–60 minutes, until softened but no longer warm.
If making it ahead, refrigerate until solid, then let it sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours before using.
Prepare your gingerbread cake batter…
Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. This will help prevent the gingerbread cake from sticking and make it easier to remove after baking.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg until evenly combined. Mixing the dry ingredients first helps distribute those rising agents and spices throughout the cake.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, egg, and molasses until combined. Add the olive oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk just until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep your small batch gingerbread cake tender.
Bake and cool your small batch gingerbread cake…
Pour the gingerbread cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a spatula around the edges to loosen it. Carefully transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing and frosting.
Prepare the brown butter cream cheese frosting…
While the cake cools, add the room-temperature cream cheese and softened brown butter to a stand mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy, making sure both ingredients are fully blended.
Add the vanilla extract and milk, then mix until combined. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
Assemble your small batch layered cake…
Once the gingerbread cake has cooled completely, use a serrated knife to slice it horizontally through the center. Cut each half vertically down the middle to create four equal cake layers.
Stack the four gingerbread cake layers with brown butter cream cheese frosting between each layer, then frost the outside of the cake as you wish. Slice and serve!
3 reasons you’ll love this small batch gingerbread cake
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- You don’t have to brown your butter if you don’t want to; you’ll still make a delicious cream cheese frosting with salted butter. If you do brown the butter, you must give it time to cool and set before mixing your frosting, to get the right consistency.
- As always, be careful not to overmix your cake batter. Just mix until you see the dry ingredients disappear into the wet!
- If you want to decorate your cake like a mini gingerbread house, you can use a variety of toppings to get the look! I used a Sharpie to draw my windows, icicles, and trees onto one side of parchment paper before flipping the paper over and piping melted white chocolate over the design, leaving it to dry. Nuts, fresh herbs, and fun graham crackers or thin cookies make great details!
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
Since this small batch gingerbread cake has a cream cheese frosting, it must be stored in the fridge (outside of no more than 2 hours at room temperature). I recommend serving it closer to room temperature, so cut into slices around 30 minutes before eating and leave out to soften.
The cake will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Highly recommend freezing in slices, so you can thaw as needed!
MORE LOAF PAN RECIPES
- Coconut Spice Loaf Cake
- Triple Chocolate Cake
- Vanilla Cheesecake
- Apple Pie Icebox Cake
- No-Banana Banana Bread
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- Small pot
- Mixer
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- 9” x 5” Loaf Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
- ¾ cup salted butter
- 6 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tsp molasses
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp buttermilk
- 1½ tbsp sour cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by browning your butter, since it will need time to cool before using it in the frosting. Place your butter into a small pot over high heat, whisking constantly. Once the mixture starts to lightly turn brown, turn off the heat and continue to whisk until it reaches a dark brown color. Immediately pour into a heat-safe bowl
- Cool for a few minutes at room temperature before placing in the fridge until it’s softened but not hard, roughly 45 – 60 minutes. If making in advance, leave in the fridge to harden, then remove 1-2 hours before you’re ready to use it, so it can soften to room temperature.
- Grease and line your loaf pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 325°F
- For the gingerbread cake, in a bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together — flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, and the 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of molasses. Then mix in the olive oil, buttermilk, sour cream, and vanilla until fully combined
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk just until the dry ingredients disappear
- Pour the cake batter into your prepped loaf pan
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs
- Cool your cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a spatula around the edges before flipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely
- While your cake cools, prep your cream cheese frosting. In the bowl of a mixer, add your room temperature cream cheese and room temperature brown butter and beat until smooth
- Pour in your vanilla extract and milk, and mix. Then sift in your powdered sugar and beat until all is combined
- Once your cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to cut the cake horizontally down the center, before slicing each half vertically in the center. This will give you four layers
- From here, stack and frost each layer before frosting the outside as desired!
