Description
Bake this simple, moist gingerbread sheet cake featuring warm spices and rich molasses flavor. It includes a recipe for a complementary cinnamon molasses cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- For the Frosting: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons molasses
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg until just combined. Mix in the 1/2 cup molasses.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the boiling water into the buttermilk.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined after each addition; do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 inch pan.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Prepare the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of molasses until the frosting is creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
- You can bake this cake in two 8-inch round pans for a layer cake instead of a sheet cake. Adjust baking time accordingly, checking for doneness around 25 minutes.
- For an extra rich flavor, substitute 1/4 cup of the all-purpose flour with cake flour.
- If you do not have buttermilk, add 1/2 teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1/2 cup of regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 45
- Sodium: 250
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 54
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 55