Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

A moist, warmly spiced molasses gingerbread sheet cake topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting. An easy Christmas dessert that feeds a crowd.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Cooling 1

Total Time 1 55

Course Dessert, Holiday Treats

Cuisine American

Servings 16 squares

Calories 330 kcal

Ingredients

Gingerbread cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, melted
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup unsulphured molasses not blackstrap
2 large eggs room temperature
1 cup hot water

Cream cheese frosting:

8 oz cream cheese softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a bowl.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and molasses. Whisk in the eggs.
Stir in the dry ingredients, then slowly whisk in the hot water until the batter is smooth. It will be thin.
Pour into the pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat until fluffy. Spread over the cooled cake and cut into squares.

Notes

Make ahead: Bake the cake 1 day ahead, cover and frost the next day.
Storage: Keep frosted cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freeze: Freeze unfrosted cake, well wrapped, up to 3 months.
Variations: Use a simple lemon glaze instead of frosting, add 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger, or serve unfrosted with whipped cream.

Keyword christmas cake, gingerbread cake, gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting, molasses cake