Ingredients
GINGERBREAD CAKE LAYERS
- 315 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- 165 g unsulphured molasses or dark syrup
- 360 g sour cream 14-18% room temperature
- 110 g vegetable oil e.g. avocado oil or canola oil
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 300 g butter
- 150 g full-fat cream cheese
- 550 g powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla paste
Directions
GINGERBREAD CAKE LAYERS
- Preheat the oven at 170ºC (150°C fan) and line 2x 20 cm/8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir it all together with a whisk or a rubber spatula. Make sure there is no dry flour left in the batter.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared baking pans and spread the cake batter into an even layer. Bake them for 28-30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cakes from the cake tins and let the cakes cool down completely.
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- Take the butter and cream cheese out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting. Cut the butter into cubes. Sift the powdered sugar.
- In your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it another mix for 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla bean paste and cream cheese and cream it together with the butter for 1 minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and on low speed, mix the sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts, letting the powdered sugar mix in with the butter and cream cheese before adding the next part. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and give it a final mix for 1-2 minutes on low speed.
ASSEMBLING
- Place the first cake layer on your serving dish or cake board on your turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, don’t worry, you can easily decorate the cake without it.
- Add 2 big scoops of frosting and with an offset spatula, even it out. Then add the other cake layer and cover the whole cake in a thin crumb coat. Place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes so it is easier to frost the cake with the remaining buttercream.
- Add the remaining frosting, and even it out over the cake. Optional decorate with a dusting of cinnamon and gingerbread cookies.