Gingerbread Spice Cake
Gingerbread Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy) Home › Desserts › Gingerbread Spice Cake Gingerbread spice cake is a soft, moist snack cake flavored with molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, then finished with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It bakes in a single 8×8-inch pan in about 35 minutes and…
Gingerbread spice cake is a soft, moist snack cake flavored with molasses, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon and cloves, then finished with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. It bakes in a single 8×8-inch pan in about 35 minutes and serves nine.
It tastes like a gingerbread cookie turned into a tender cake. The molasses brings deep, slightly bitter sweetness, and the tangy frosting keeps every bite from tasting too rich.
Below you’ll find the full ingredient list, what each ingredient does, step-by-step instructions, our best tips for a moist crumb, and answers to common questions. Looking for more festive bakes? Browse our Christmas dessert recipes.
Why This Gingerbread Spice Cake Works
This cake stays moist for days because it gets moisture from three places: sour cream, hot molasses water and brown sugar. Most dry spice cakes rely on butter alone.
- One bowl of wet, one bowl of dry. No layers to level, no special equipment beyond a mixer.
- Balanced sweetness. Brown sugar and molasses carry caramel and toasty notes, so the cake is flavorful without being sugary.
- Make-ahead friendly. The flavor deepens after a night in the fridge, which makes it a smart choice for holiday parties.
- Crowd-sized but not huge. Nine generous squares from an 8×8 pan, easy to double in a 9×13.
Is gingerbread cake the same as spice cake?
Not quite. A classic spice cake leans on cinnamon and nutmeg with white or brown sugar. Gingerbread cake adds molasses and a bigger dose of ginger and cloves, which gives it a darker color and a deeper flavor. This recipe sits right between the two.
Ingredients for Gingerbread Spice Cake
You need 13 pantry staples for the cake and 4 for the frosting. Unsulphured molasses is the one item to check for; it’s in the baking aisle.
For the cake (8×8-inch pan, 9 servings)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) hot water
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp salt (skip if using salted butter)
For the cream cheese frosting
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, softened
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
What each ingredient does
| Ingredient | Role in the cake | Easy swap |
|---|---|---|
| Molasses | Color, moisture, the classic gingerbread flavor | Dark (not blackstrap) molasses |
| Brown sugar | Sweetness plus caramel notes | Dark brown sugar for a deeper taste |
| Sour cream | Keeps the crumb tender and moist | Plain full-fat Greek yogurt |
| Hot water | Thins the molasses so it blends evenly | Hot brewed coffee for a mocha twist |
| Baking soda | Reacts with acidic molasses and sour cream for lift | None |
| Ginger, cinnamon, cloves | The warm spice backbone | Add 1/4 tsp nutmeg or allspice |
| Cream cheese | Tang that balances the dark cake | Mascarpone for a milder frosting |
New to warm spices? Our guide to baking spices explains how ginger, cinnamon and cloves work together.
How to Make Gingerbread Spice Cake
Prep takes 10 minutes and baking takes 30 to 35 minutes, so the whole cake is ready in about 45 minutes plus cooling time.
Make the cake
- Heat the oven and prep the pan. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch pan with nonstick baking spray.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with a stand mixer (paddle attachment) or hand mixer for 2 minutes, until light and smooth.
- Add the egg and sour cream. Mix until fully blended.
- Thin the molasses. In a small bowl, whisk the molasses into the hot water until smooth.
- Whisk the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt.
- Alternate wet and dry. Add half the dry mix to the batter, then half the molasses water, then repeat. Mix on low just until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thin; that’s normal.
- Bake. Pour into the pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before frosting.
Make the cream cheese frosting
- Beat the base. Beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Add the sugar slowly. Add the powdered sugar on low speed, then beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Frost and slice. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake in thick swoops, then cut into 9 squares.
Tips for the Moistest Gingerbread Cake
The two most common mistakes are overmixing the batter and frosting a warm cake. Avoid both and this cake turns out right every time.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Cold butter, egg and sour cream won’t blend smoothly, and the batter can look curdled.
- Stop mixing early. Overworked batter develops gluten and bakes up dense and tough.
- Check at 30 minutes. Ovens vary; pulling the cake as soon as the toothpick is clean keeps it tender.
- Let it cool fully. Frosting melts and slides off a cake that’s even slightly warm.
- Avoid blackstrap molasses. It’s much more bitter and will overpower the spices.
Variations to Try
- Bigger batch: Double the recipe in a 9×13-inch pan and bake about 38 to 42 minutes.
- Cupcakes: Fill lined muffin cups two-thirds full and bake 18 to 20 minutes (about 12 cupcakes).
- Spiced frosting: Beat 1/2 tsp cinnamon into the cream cheese frosting.
- Lighter topping: Skip the frosting and serve with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Extra kick: Fold in 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger.
How to Store Gingerbread Spice Cake
Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The USDA advises not leaving perishable foods out for more than 2 hours (see USDA food safety guidance). Let slices sit out 15 to 20 minutes before serving for the softest texture.
To freeze, wrap the unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then frost.
Gingerbread Spice Cake FAQ
Can I make gingerbread spice cake ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and frost it up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. The spices mellow and blend overnight, so many bakers think it tastes better on day two.
Why did my gingerbread cake sink in the middle?
A sunken center usually means the cake was underbaked or the oven door was opened too early. Expired baking soda can also cause it. Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes. Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works as a one-to-one swap and keeps the cake just as moist, with a slightly tangier flavor.
What’s the difference between sulphured and unsulphured molasses?
Sulphured molasses is treated with sulfur dioxide as a preservative, which can leave a chemical aftertaste. Unsulphured molasses tastes cleaner and sweeter, which is why baking recipes call for it.
Does gingerbread spice cake need to be refrigerated?
Once frosted, yes. Cream cheese frosting is perishable, so refrigerate the cake if it will sit out longer than about 2 hours. An unfrosted cake can stay covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
Bake This Gingerbread Spice Cake This Season
This gingerbread spice cake gives you all the cozy flavor of gingerbread in a moist, easy snack cake, ready in under an hour. Bake it a day before your next holiday gathering, and let us know in the comments if you tried the spiced frosting. For more ideas, see our easy cake recipes.
