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    Home » Recipes » Baked Goods

    Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe

    Published: November 25, 2018 Updated: August 8, 2019 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 54 Comments

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    A gingerbread cake with an icing sugar glaze and sprinkles.

    Make your holidays extra festive with this easy gingerbread cake recipe! There are loads of warming flavours like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and rich molasses. The whole gingerbread cake is topped with a simple icing sugar glaze and plenty of fun sprinkles!

    A gingerbread cake with an icing sugar glaze and sprinkles.

    Now that my American friends have had their Thanksgiving and we are on the last week of November, bring on all the holiday inspired goodies, like this gingerbread cake recipe!

    I can’t tell you how excited I am to be sharing this one! I want to thank my fam jam, though, because over the past few weeks they’ve enjoyed their fair share of this cake while I was recipe testing.

    Cake for you and you and you! Cake for everyone!

    Ha! The things we do, am I right?

    All the testing was worth it, though, because this gingerbread cake is really good. As my sister-in-law said, it has all the warming flavours of the holidays, but it’s totally suitable for year-round eating. I wonder, is she trying to tell me something, LOL.

    This gingerbread is not too sweet and literally takes minutes to whip up. It’s made with some simple ingredients that you probably have on hand. The hardest part? Waiting for it to bake and cool.

    If you’re a fan of gingerbread, you may enjoy this homemade gingerbread coffee creamer!

    Ingredients for a gingerbread cake recipe.

    How To Make Gingerbread Cake

    Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
    2. Place butter, cream cheese and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a bowl with a hand mixer).
    3. Blend until smooth, combined and fluffy.
    4. Add molasses and vanilla extract and blend.
    5. Next, add eggs (one at a time), blending in.
    6. Mix in reserved dry ingredients.
    7. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake.
    8. In a bowl or large measuring cup, mix the ingredients together for the icing sugar glaze.
    9. Pour the icing sugar glazed over the cooled gingerbread cake and add some festive sprinkles.
    Collage of steps to make a glazed gingerbread cake.

    Icing Sugar Glaze for Cake

    For this gingerbread cake recipe, I kept the icing simple.

    The cake itself is, like I said, not overly sweet so this icing sugar glaze adds some sweetness and a pretty factor (along with those sprinkles, of course). 

    The glaze is literally two ingredients. I used icing sugar and orange juice. While recipe testing I tried with various quantities of icing sugar:

    • ½ cup of icing sugar (just enough to drizzle some lines of icing sugar along the top of the cake)
    • 1 cup of icing sugar (enough to drizzle over top but not quite enough for my liking)
    • 1.5 cups (what I was happy with)

    Tip: To make this easy icing sugar glaze, start with 1.5 cups of icing sugar and add 2 tablespoons of orange juice. Stir, stir, stir. 

    Slowly add additional orange juice, if needed (1 teaspoon at a time), to get your desired consistency. I used 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons. 

    A little bit of juice goes a long way and you don’t want the glaze too thin. It should be thick, almost thick like honey.

    A spoonful of icing sugar glaze above a measuring cup, dripping into it.

    Tips for Making This Recipe

    • Make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened before making this cake. The ingredients blend better and you get the most oomph out of them. To quickly soften both butter and cream cheese, cut into squares and place on a plate for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened.
    • When measuring the molasses, grease a measuring cup with baking spray before pouring in the molasses. It helps it to come out more easily.
    • Once the batter is poured into the greased pan, tap it down on a hard surface a bunch of times to remove any excess air bubbles before baking.
    • Ensure that the gingerbread cake is fully cooled before icing.  Otherwise, the icing sugar glaze will just melt (or soak) right into the cake and it won’t “pop.”
    • I mixed the icing sugar glaze in a measuring cup (to make things easier). Just pour and let the icing sugar glaze flow naturally over the cake.
    • As soon as the icing sugar glaze is over the cake, decorate with sprinkles. Because this is a holiday cake, sprinkles are definitely recommended.
    A piece of gingerbread cake on a plate with the full cake behind it.

    More Easy Holiday Baking Recipes

    • Baked Eggnog Donuts With Eggnog Icing Sugar Glaze
    • Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
    • Fruit Cake Bread Pudding

    If you want to be extra indulgent, serve a big hunk of this gingerbread cake with some vanilla ice-cream and an eggnog latte. So good!

    If you make this homemade gingerbread cake recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

    Gingerbread cake on a plate with icing sugar glaze and sprinkles.

    Easy Gingerbread Cake Recipe

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    Make your holidays extra festive with this easy gingerbread cake recipe! There are loads of warming flavours like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and rich molasses. The whole gingerbread cake is topped with a simple icing sugar glaze and plenty of fun sprinkles!
    5 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Cooling Time 2 hrs
    Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 1 cake
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    Gingerbread Cake

    • Baking spray, or butter (to grease pan)
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with a butter knife
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground clove
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
    • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
    • ½ cup fancy molasses
    • 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 4 large eggs
    • Festive sprinkles, garnish to taste (optional)

    Icing Sugar Glaze

    • 1.5 cup icing sugar
    • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons orange juice, less if you want thicker consistency or more if you want a thinner consistency

    Instructions

    Gingerbread Cake

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously spray a 10-inch fluted cake pan with baking spray and set aside.
    • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a bowl with a hand mixer), blend (on medium-high speed) cream cheese, butter and sugar until combined, smooth and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes (stop to scrape sides of bowl, as necessary, with a rubber spatula).
    • Add molasses and vanilla extract and blend for another 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed and add eggs, one at a time, blending about 15 to 30 seconds with each egg addition. 
    • Add reserved flour mixture and blend until just combined
    • Pour or scoop batter into the prepared pan (batter will be thick). Tap the pan down on a hard surface a few times to settle the batter and remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer or cake tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.
      Note: Because pans and ovens can vary, check on at the 40-minute mark).
    • Once done, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 to 20 minutes. Then carefully remove the cake from the pan onto a cooling rack, allowing it to cool completely before icing.

    Icing Sugar Glaze

    • Add icing sugar to a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of orange juice and whisk. A teaspoon at a time, add more juice and whisk until smooth and creamy. Drizzle over cooled gingerbread cake.  
      Note: If you want the glaze thicker, add a little more icing sugar. Conversely, if you want a thinner glaze, add more juice (a little goes a long way).

    Glaze the Gingerbread Cake

    • Drizzle the icing sugar glaze over the cooled gingerbread cake, then add sprinkles (if desired). You can wait a few minutes for the icing to set or slice right away. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • Cooling time may vary. To speed up cooling time, place the cake in the fridge for a little while.
    • When measuring the molasses, grease a measuring cup with baking spray before pouring in the molasses. It helps it to come out more easily.
    • Ensure that the gingerbread cake is fully cooled before icing. Otherwise, the icing sugar glaze will just melt (or soak) right into the cake and it won’t “pop.”
    • I mixed the icing sugar glaze in a measuring cup (to make things easier). Just pour and let the icing sugar glaze flow naturally over the cake.
    • As soon as the icing sugar glaze is over the cake, decorate with sprinkles. 

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword Christmas cake, gingerbread cake, homemade gingerbread

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

    More Baked Goods

    • Pumpkin Bread With Pecans and Cranberries
    • Glazed Gingerbread Donuts
    • Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
    • Banana Gingerbread Recipe

    © Girl Heart Food Inc. All photographs and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Asmahan

      December 27, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      Can I replace the cream cheese with yogurt ?

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        December 27, 2019 at 1:55 pm

        Hi Asmahan! Thanks for stopping by! I haven’t tried this particular cake with yogurt so can’t say for sure if it will work, but it may! To replace some of the fat that would be in cream cheese, I’d opt for a regular yogurt (even a thick Greek yogurt) over, say, a lighter version 🙂

        Reply
    2. Matt - Total Feasts

      December 09, 2019 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      Gingerbread has got to be my all-time favourite dessert! Delicious!

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        December 10, 2019 at 11:54 am

        Same here! Thanks Matt 🙂

        Reply
    3. Tracy

      October 14, 2019 at 5:32 pm

      What could you use instead of orange juice?

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        October 14, 2019 at 9:02 pm

        Hi Tracy 🙂 You could use milk or even water instead of orange juice, if you like.

        Reply
    4. Anne|Craving Something Healthy

      December 03, 2018 at 1:26 am

      Pinned this and I can’t wait to try it for the holidays! Is icing sugar the same as powdered or confectioners sugar?

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        December 03, 2018 at 10:32 am

        Thank you Anne 🙂 Yes, it is! Hope you love this one!

        Reply
    5. Vanessa | Zest & Simmer

      November 29, 2018 at 11:44 pm

      5 stars
      What a heavenly cake, lovely gingerbread for this holiday season! It looks pretty too the way you’ve decorated it!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        December 03, 2018 at 10:33 am

        Thank you so much, Vanessa 🙂

        Reply
    6. Miriam

      November 29, 2018 at 7:03 am

      Love the thought of this cake baking in the oven – the kitchen must smell heavenly with all those beautiful warming flavours. Slightly obsessed with eggnog so I have to check out your eggnog latte recipe as well. What a great combination that would be!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:50 am

        Totally!! The eggnog latte is from a friend of mine. It definitely would be a lovely combo 🙂 Thanks Miriam!

        Reply
    7. Denise from Urbnspice

      November 29, 2018 at 1:57 am

      5 stars
      As soon as I saw cream cheese together with the butter in your Gingerbread Cake ingredients, I knew that this cake would be a winner, Dawn. I am excited to make it over the holidays, but I agree with your sister-in-law. Make it all year around! Thanks so much for testing until perfect for our benefit. 🙂

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:50 am

        Thank you Denise!!! It’s a favourite for sure 🙂 Hope you love it as much as we do.

        Reply
    8. Colleen

      November 28, 2018 at 11:46 pm

      5 stars
      Gingerbread cake is a holiday tradition in our family. I have never made it with cream cheese, though, and it sounds amazing! Pinning to try. Thanks for sharing, Dawn!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:49 am

        The cream cheese really adds a richness to the cake. Hope you love it, Colleen! Thanks so much 🙂

        Reply
    9. Charity

      November 28, 2018 at 11:33 pm

      5 stars
      I was craving gingerbread cake land then your cake popped up in my feed! So excited to make this. I’m craving all the holiday sweets!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:49 am

        Lol…it was meant to be 😉 Hope you love it, Charity!

        Reply
    10. Riz | Chocolates & Chai

      November 28, 2018 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      Dawn! I listened to your interview on the Dishes with Delish podcast earlier today, it was so much fun!

      (Also, gingerbread cake. Yes please.)

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:47 am

        Thanks a million, Riz!!! I had a blast speaking with Elaine 🙂 And gingerbread? I’ll happily share 😉

        Reply
    11. Marissa

      November 28, 2018 at 9:11 pm

      5 stars
      I love gingerbread cake and yours sounds amazing! Love that fun drizzle with festive sprinkles! We love to cut up leftover cake into cubes to serve over vanilla ice cream like ‘crouton’. 😉 This one’s a must try!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:45 am

        Thank you Marissa!! That sounds divine!

        Reply
    12. Ben|Havocinthekitchen

      November 27, 2018 at 8:55 pm

      Christmas season isn’t really festive without having gingerbread (in any form!) at least once…but better six or eight times 🙂 I also noticed many people don’t like/use molasses, but this is the ingredient which makes just a ginger flavour the gingerbread; it’s so warming, hearty, and somehow nostalgic. Pass me a slice please, Dawn!

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:45 am

        I agree!!! Love molasses, even on bread with some butter (so good). Virtually handing you a slice right now 😉 Thanks Ben!

        Reply
    13. SHASHI AT SAVORYSPIN

      November 27, 2018 at 1:39 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, Dawn, what a fantastic gingerbread cake recipe! I haven’t made a lot of gingerbread cakes in my time but I find myself agreeing with your sister in law – this is definitely worthy of year round eating! I’m so loving the cream cheese in the cake – I am torn between making this or cookies or David’s fudge for Christmas gifts… mini bundts of this would be so lovely to gift – and to eat! 🙂

      Reply
      • Girl Heart Food

        November 29, 2018 at 9:44 am

        Thank you Shashi! How about you make ’em all and then invite me over 😉 Wouldn’t that be lovely?? Hope you have a fab weekend ahead, my friend! XOXO

        Reply
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