Gingerbread Layer Cake

Name: Gingerbread Layer Cake
Cook time: 28 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 360 g all-purpose flour sifted; 8 g baking soda none; 4 g fine salt none; 12 g ground ginger none; 6 g ground cinnamon none; 1 g ground cloves none; 170 g unsalted butter softened; 300 g dark brown sugar packed; 3 unit large eggs room temperature; 240 g unsulphured molasses none; 10 g vanilla extract none; 240 g hot water heated; 450 g cream cheese softened; 420 g powdered sugar sifted; 45 g heavy cream cold; 60 g candied ginger finely chopped

An American-inspired gingerbread layer cake with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves in the cake, plus a cream cheese frosting that keeps the spice profile balanced. Candied ginger adds a sharper finish and a chewy garnish.

By Julienne

Cook time: 28 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

360 g all-purpose flour sifted
8 g baking soda none
4 g fine salt none
12 g ground ginger none
6 g ground cinnamon none
1 g ground cloves none
170 g unsalted butter softened
300 g dark brown sugar packed
3 unit large eggs room temperature
240 g unsulphured molasses none
10 g vanilla extract none
240 g hot water heated
450 g cream cheese softened
420 g powdered sugar sifted
45 g heavy cream cold
60 g candied ginger finely chopped

Instructions

Heat the oven to 175°C. Line 3 round cake pans with parchment and lightly grease the sides. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until evenly combined. Dry ingredients are uniform and the oven is fully preheated.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until lighter in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the molasses and vanilla. The batter looks glossy and well emulsified before the flour is added.
Mix in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with the hot water, until the batter is smooth and just combined. Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans. No dry streaks remain and the batter is evenly portioned.
Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely. Cake layers are fully cooled before frosting.
For the frosting, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar in 3 additions, then beat in the heavy cream until spreadable. Reserve a small handful of candied ginger for the top and fold the rest into the frosting if you want ginger pieces throughout the filling. Frosting is thick, smooth, and holds soft peaks.
Level the cake layers if needed. Stack the layers with frosting between each one, then frost the top and sides. Finish with the reserved candied ginger. Chill for 20 minutes before slicing for cleaner layers. The cake is stable, neatly frosted, and slices cleanly after chilling.