Festive Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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Based on the festive image you provided, this appears to be a Moist Gingerbread Layer Cake with a thick, tangy Cream Cheese Frosting. The decoration features sugared cranberries and miniature gingerbread cookies, giving it that classic holiday charm.

Here is the full recipe to recreate this exact look and flavor.

Festive Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 

  • Prep time: 30 mins

  • Bake time: 30–35 mins

  • Yields: One 2-layer cake (8-inch square or round)

1. The Gingerbread Cake Layers

 

This cake relies on molasses and brown sugar for that deep, rich color seen in the photo.

Ingredients:

  • Dry:

    • 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour

    • 2 tsp Ground Ginger (use 3 tsp if you like it spicy)

    • 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon

    • ½ tsp Ground Cloves

    • ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg

    • 1 tsp Baking Soda

    • ½ tsp Baking Powder

    • ½ tsp Salt

  • Wet:

    • ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened

    • ½ cup Vegetable Oil (keeps it moist)

    • 1 cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed

    • 1 large Egg + 1 Egg Yolk (room temp)

    • 1 cup Unsulphured Molasses (like Grandma’s Original)

    • 1 cup Hot Water (boiling)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch pans (square pans will give you the sharp corners seen in the photo, but round works too).

  2. Whisk Dry: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

  3. Mix Wet: In a large bowl (or stand mixer), beat the butter, oil, and brown sugar until creamy. Add the egg and yolk, beating well.

  4. Add Molasses: Pour in the molasses and mix until combined.

  5. Combine: Alternating with the hot water, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. (Add 1/3 flour, mix; add ½ water, mix; repeat). Note: The batter will be thin. This is normal.

  6. Bake: Pour evenly into pans. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

  7. Cool: Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

2. The White Cream Cheese Frosting

 

To get the stark white contrast against the dark cake, whip the butter thoroughly before adding the other ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz (1 block) Full-fat Cream Cheese, cold

  • ½ cup Unsalted Butter, slightly softened

  • 4 cups Powdered Sugar (sifted)

  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

  • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

  1. Beat the butter alone on high speed for 5 minutes until it is very pale and fluffy.

  2. Add the cream cheese and beat for just 1 minute until combined (do not overbeat or it will get runny).

  3. Add vanilla and salt.

  4. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating on low until smooth and spreadable.

3. The “Sugared Cranberry” Garnish

 

This provides the frosty red berries seen in the picture.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Fresh Cranberries

  • ½ cup Water + ½ cup Granulated Sugar (for syrup)

  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar (for rolling)

Instructions:

  1. Make Syrup: Combine water and ½ cup sugar in a pot. Simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

  2. Coat: Stir cranberries into the syrup to coat. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them on a cooling rack for 45 minutes until they feel tacky/sticky (not wet).

  3. Roll: Roll the sticky berries in the remaining granulated sugar until they look “frosted.”

4. Assembly & Decoration (The “Look”)

 

To match your image perfectly:

  1. Stack: Place one cake layer on your plate. Spread a thick layer of frosting (about ½ inch thick) evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer on top.

  2. Crumb Coat: Apply a thin layer of frosting all over the outside to seal in crumbs. Chill for 15 minutes.

  3. Final Coat: Apply a thick, rustic layer of frosting to the sides. Use a spatula to create vertical swoops.

  4. Top Piping: Put the remaining frosting in a piping bag with a large star tip (like a Wilton 1M). Pipe small dollops or rosettes on top of the cake.

  5. Garnish:

    • Place Sugared Cranberries into the frosting dollops.

    • Insert two Mini Gingerbread Men cookies (you can bake these using a simple cutout recipe or buy small crisp gingersnaps) standing up in the center.

    • Add a fondant holly leaf or a fresh mint sprig for the green element.

  6. The Snow: Just before serving, sift a dusting of powdered sugar over the entire cake and the plate to mimic the snowy effect in the photo.

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