Gingerbread Cake Recipe

This easy spiced Gingerbread Cake Recipe is topped with the dreamiest cinnamon cream cheese buttercream. The tender and moist cake is subtly sweet and captures the heart of holiday flavors we all love. Whether you’re making it for a holiday gathering or sharing it with your family, you can’t mess up this cake. This recipe has been tested, perfected, and results in perfectly fluffy holiday cake every time!

What You’ll Love About This GingerBread Cake Recipe

This easy gingerbread cake recipe is one of my hands-down favorites for the holiday season! Here’s what you’ll love about it:

• Warm and Cozy Flavors – The blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice creates a rich, warming spice flavor that feels like a cozy hug—perfect for fall and winter.
• The BEST Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting – Need I say more? You’ll want to eat this frosting by the spoonful. It makes a tasty graham cracker dip, too!
• Cookie Flavors without the Fuss – No need to roll and cut dough and pipe intricate designs, all those nostalgic and traditional gingerbread flavors are wrapped up in this easy cake.
• Perfect for Holiday Parties – Whether it’s dessert for a family Christmas gathering, an addition to a holiday potluck, or a gift for a neighbor, this simple cake is a go-to during the holiday season.

TIP: Pair this cake with a Caramel Brûlée Latte for the best cozy treat!

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake Ingredients

• Flour – Use all-purpose flour for this cake recipe. For cake recipes, it’s especially important to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. That way you don’t end up with too much flour and a dense, dry cake.
• Baking Powder – Baking powder gives us a light and fluffy texture and lift in this cake.
• Salt – Just a little bit of salt brings out all of the warmth of the spices.
• Cinnamon, Ground Ginger, Ground Allspice, & Ground Cloves – This combination in the right ratio is the magic that gives a strong and slightly spicy gingerbread flavor that’s perfectly balanced and not overpowering. You can find all of these in the spice aisle of the grocery store.
• Brown Sugar – I like using dark brown sugar in this recipe, but light brown sugar works just as well.
• Molasses – Molasses gives the cake a rich flavor, dark color, and the distinct gingerbread flavor that goes with the spices.
• Canola Oil – I like using oils in cakes because they’re so easy to incorporate into the batter, they keep things moist and don’t mask the flavors like butter sometimes can. You can substitute it with another neutral oil like avocado oil or vegetable oil.
• Milk – Any milk will work in this recipe. You can even use plant-based milk if you prefer. I like using 2 % or whole milk in this gingerbread cake.
• Eggs – The eggs in this recipe hold everything together. This cake is tender but not crumbly. It cuts well and stays together thanks to the eggs.
• Vanilla Extract – Don’t skip this ingredient. The vanilla extract adds a subtle, fragrant flavor addition that you will love!!

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• Butter – Use unsalted butter for this icing recipe. Salted butter will be too salty for this frosting recipe because it also has cream cheese in it which is already a little salty.
• Cream Cheese – The creamy, tangy cream cheese in this recipe is such a delicious combination with the gingerbread cake.
• Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar, sometimes called icing sugar, incorporates so well into frosting recipes because it is so fine and light. Other sugars will create a gritty texture that is not yummy!
• Heavy Cream – The little addition of heavy cream is a secret weapon when making frosting. It helps the icing whip up a little more and helps stabilize the fluffy texture.
• Cinnamon – Ground cinnamon in this frosting takes it from good to over-the-top, lick the bowl GOOD! Add more if you want a little stronger flavor.

Optional Topping Idea: Crush up gingerbread cookies or gingersnap cookies and add them to the icing for some extra-delicious texture!

How to Make This Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe

Cake Instructions

1. Preheat the oven and spray the cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together all of the dry ingredients and set aside.
3. Add the remaining cake ingredients to a large bowl and whisk them well until smooth and combined.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just mixed together and fully incorporated.
5. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, testing that a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

Making the Icing

1. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip together the butter and cream cheese.
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar and continue mixing until all the sugar has been incorporated.
3. Add the heavy cream and cinnamon, and mix with the electric mixer until the frosting looks whippy.
4. Frost the top of the cake, slice, and serve. Add crushed gingersnaps to the top for a fun crunchy topping!

Storing

• Room Temperature – Cover the cake tightly and store it at room temp for up to 2 days. If you haven’t eaten it in a few days, transfer it to the refrigerator.
• Refrigerator – You can refrigerate this frosted gingerbread cake for up to 5 days. Make sure that it remains tightly covered when it’s being stored.
• Freezer – You can freeze the baked, uniced gingerbread cake for up to 3 months. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, and then foil it before freezing. Thaw the cake in the fridge or on the counter before frosting with freshly made icing.

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More Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Coconut Cake Recipe
• Honeybun Cake
• Easy Coffee Cake Recipe
• Pumpkin Olive Oil Cake
• The BEST Chocolate Cake Recipe

More Holiday Desserts

• Gingerbread Latte Cookies
• Kitchen Sink Cookies
• Buttermilk Pie Bars
• Baked Apple Croissant
• Bread Pudding Recipe

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