Woodland Gingerbread Cake
Create a stunning winter centerpiece with this Woodland Gingerbread Cake. Featuring three moist layers of spiced molasses cake and a tangy stable cream cheese frosting, this rustic naked cake is easier to execute than it looks. Perfect for Christmas, it transforms simple ingredients into a festive holiday showstopper in just under two hours.
Equipment
- OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Scraper
- USA Pan 8-Inch Round Cake Pans (Need 3)
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Ateco Revolving Cake Stand
Ingredients
For the Spiced Gingerbread Layers
- 360 g 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Ground Ginger
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 170 g ¾ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 150 g ¾ cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
- 255 g ¾ cup Unsulphured Molasses (Grandma’s Original)
- 3 Large Eggs room temperature
- 240 ml 1 cup Hot Coffee (Strong brew)
- For the Stable Cream Cheese Frosting
- 450 g 16 oz Full-Fat Cream Cheese, cold (Block style only)
- 225 g 1 cup Unsalted Butter, slightly cool
- 600 g 5 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
For the Woodland Garnish
- 1 Large Gingerbread Cookie Moose or Deer shape
- 6-8 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
- ½ cup Fresh Cranberries or Red Currants
- 1 tbsp Powdered Sugar for dusting
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. (Note: Do not skip the parchment; molasses makes the batter sticky).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and airy.
- Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Pour in the molasses slowly and mix until combined. (The mixture may look slightly curdled; this is normal).
- Reduce speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the hot coffee. Repeat, ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until the last streak of flour disappears.
- Divide batter evenly among the three pans (approx. 400g per pan). Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Crucial Step: Once warm (not hot), wrap layers in plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes. This firms up the crumb for the "naked" scraping technique.
Make the Frosting
- Beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cold cream cheese one chunk at a time, beating until just combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste. Beat on medium-high for 1-2 minutes until fluffy. (Do not overbeat, or the mixture will lose structure).
Assemble & Decorate
- Place the first cake layer on your turntable. Pipe a dam of frosting around the edge and fill the center. Repeat with the second layer.
- Place the final layer upside down to ensure a perfectly flat top.
- Apply a generous coat of frosting to the top and sides of the cake.
- Using your stainless steel bench scraper, hold the blade at a 45-degree angle against the side of the cake. Rotate the turntable while applying firm pressure to scrape away excess frosting, revealing the dark cake layers beneath. Smooth the top rim.
- Insert the gingerbread cookie into the center. Arrange inverted rosemary sprigs around the base and top to mimic trees. Cluster cranberries for color.
- Immediately before serving, sift powdered sugar over the entire cake to simulate fresh snow.
Notes
- Why Hot Coffee? The heat "blooms" the cocoa and spices, intensifying the flavor. You can substitute hot water, but the flavor will be less robust.
- Make Ahead: The cake layers can be baked, wrapped, and frozen up to 1 month in advance. Thaw on the counter for 1 hour before frosting.
- Room Temp Ingredients: Ensure your eggs are at room temperature to prevent the batter from breaking. However, for this specific frosting, keep the cream cheese cold to ensure it holds up the heavy layers.
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