Description

Gingerbread Cake With Sweet Molasses Frosting is a warm, spiced holiday dessert featuring a soft, moist cake infused with molasses, ginger, and cinnamon, topped with rich, buttery molasses frosting. Perfect for cozy gatherings, gifting, or enjoying with tea by the fire — it’s the ultimate comforting bake of the season.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Gingerbread Cake:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup hot water
1 egg

For the Sweet Molasses Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2–3 tablespoons milk (as needed for texture)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your cake pan or line with parchment.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
Add Wet Ingredients: Add butter, molasses, and hot water. Mix until just combined. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
Bake: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30–35 minutes (9×13) or 25–30 minutes (8-inch rounds), until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool: Let cake cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make Frosting: Beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, molasses, vanilla, and milk. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
Frost and Serve: Spread frosting on cooled cake, decorate as desired, and serve or chill to set.

Notes

Storage: Keep cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.
Freezer Friendly: Freeze unfrosted cake up to 3 months. Thaw before frosting and serving.
Flavor Variations: Add orange zest to frosting, swap molasses for maple syrup, or use cream cheese frosting for a tangy twist.
Serving Tips: Serve with whipped cream, chai, or fresh berries for a festive touch.
Gluten-Free Option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Avoid blackstrap molasses for best flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert, Holiday Recipes, Cake
Method: Baked
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 310
Sugar: 30g
Sodium: 180mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 46g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 3g
Cholesterol: 50mg

Keywords: Gingerbread Cake, Molasses Frosting, Holiday Cake, Spiced Cake Recipe, Christmas Dessert, Cozy Winter Cake, Gingerbread Recipes, Homemade Gingerbread, Classic Holiday Dessert