A cozy, spiced small batch gingerbread cake that bakes up right in a loaf pan. Layer with brown butter cream cheese frosting for the perfect holiday dessert!
Equipment
- Small pot
- Mixer
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatulas
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- 9” x 5” Loaf Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Whisk
Ingredients
FROSTING
- ¾ cup salted butter
- 6 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk
- 5 cups powdered sugar
CAKE
- 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!
