I wouldn't say that gingerbread cake is the most synonymous with Christmas for me, I love it all year round. But in lieu of not making an actual Christmas cake this year I decided to make it so. With the minimal amount of decorating I am patient enough for.
This super moist, gently spiced gingerbread cake is layered with a big thick layer of cream cheese frosting and topped with a mini rosemary and cranberry Christmas tree. The addition of some strong coffee into the mix helps give a rich flavour which I love with the ginger.
This layer cake is now a firm favourite within the family. I almost definitely deviated from the recipe and made it in one giant deep cake tin and simply sliced it in half once cooled to save on washing up. Even better still, this recipe is a one bowl method that Mary Berry would be proud of.
C H R I S T M A S G I N G E R B R E A D C A K E W I T H
C R E A M C H E E S E F R O S T I N G
(Makes a 3 layer 8 inch cake, or 2 layer 10 inch cake)
For the cake:
375g plain flour
200g golden caster sugar
1tbsp ground ginger
2tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp ground nutmeg
2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
2 eggs
240ml vegetable oil
180ml molasses
240ml freshly brewed hot coffee
For the frosting:
225g full fat cream cheese
225g unsalted butter, softened
345g icing sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
Rosemary and dried cranberries to top, optional!
- Heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line your baking tins.
- Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a large stand mixer and give a quick whisk on a low speed to incorporate.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil and molasses and whisk once again, this time of a medium speed, until well combined.
- Add the coffee and gently fold together until smooth.
- Divide between the prepared baking trays and bake for 18-20 minutes in the 8 inch tins or 20-25 minutes in the 10 inch tins. Once baked, a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before upturning onto a wire rack to cool fully.
- To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth on a medium speed of a stand mixer.
- Sift in the icing sugar, give a super gentle fold with a spatula to avoid a dust cloud before beating on a low speed. Add the vanilla extract and continue to beat for up to 5 minutes until fluffy.
- To construct the cake, layer the bottom layer of the cake on a large plate. Top with a big dollop of frosting, smoothing round with a palette knife before adding the other layer(s). There should be enough frosting to sandwich a 3 layer cake including the top layer - I had loads leftover, but decided to do a super thick middle layer only.
Decorate with sprigs of rosemary and dried cranberries to make a christmas tree. Alternatively, lashings of glitter or a dusting of icing sugar for snow would also work.
- Heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line your baking tins.
- Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a large stand mixer and give a quick whisk on a low speed to incorporate.
- Add the eggs, vegetable oil and molasses and whisk once again, this time of a medium speed, until well combined.
- Add the coffee and gently fold together until smooth.
- Divide between the prepared baking trays and bake for 18-20 minutes in the 8 inch tins or 20-25 minutes in the 10 inch tins. Once baked, a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before upturning onto a wire rack to cool fully.
- To make the frosting, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth on a medium speed of a stand mixer.
- Sift in the icing sugar, give a super gentle fold with a spatula to avoid a dust cloud before beating on a low speed. Add the vanilla extract and continue to beat for up to 5 minutes until fluffy.
- To construct the cake, layer the bottom layer of the cake on a large plate. Top with a big dollop of frosting, smoothing round with a palette knife before adding the other layer(s). There should be enough frosting to sandwich a 3 layer cake including the top layer - I had loads leftover, but decided to do a super thick middle layer only.
Decorate with sprigs of rosemary and dried cranberries to make a christmas tree. Alternatively, lashings of glitter or a dusting of icing sugar for snow would also work.
I tried a very similar recipe recently, it took black treacle on the place of molasses. Very interesting addition with the coffee!
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