Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting is a holiday favorite, blending warm spices and rich molasses for a perfectly balanced dessert. This cake is topped with a fabulous cinnamon-kissed frosting that my mom used to make when my sisters and I were children.
I love a good cake for the holidays, and I also love a rich, creamy frosting, especially when it has molasses in it. Also, kids (big and little) love this dessert!
Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
This cake is ideal for Christmas parties and family gatherings. Bring it to the table, and let the holiday cheer begin! We love this Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting because it’s festive and the frosting is out of this world.
Why I love this recipe
- The perfect cake for Christmas and New Years.
- The frosting is a childhood favorite inspired by my mom’s recipe.
- Fun to double and bring to a party (9×13 pan).
Gather these ingredients
- Sugar
- Butter
- Egg
- Applesauce
- Molasses – Brer Rabbit Unsulphured
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon – ground
- Ginger – ground
- Cloves– ground
- Salt
- Water – HOT
Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
- Cream cheese – softened
- Butter – softened
- Vanilla
- Powdered sugar
- Molasses
- Cinnamon
How to make Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9’’ square pan.
- Cream together (in a large bowl) the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, then the applesauce and the molasses.
- Sift together (in a separate bowl) the baking soda, salt and spices. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water and mix well.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
Make the Frosting:
- Beat (in a medium bowl) cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
- Add vanilla and cinnamon, mixing well. Gradually, add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Mix molasses into mixture and blend well.
- Frost the top of the cake once the cake has completely cooled.
- Sprinkle the top evenly with a light dusting of cinnamon.
- Enjoy!
Tips & substitutions
- Replace cloves with nutmeg or use pumpkin pie spice as a substitute for all the spices.
- Swap with plain yogurt or mashed banana for a moist texture.
- Bake a day early, cover tightly, and frost before serving.
Serving suggestions
You can serve Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting alongside other festive treats like White Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Christmas Banana Bread, or a Holiday Rum Bundt Cake for a holiday dessert spread everyone will love!
Storage
Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Check out these other Christmas Cakes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Gingerbread Cake with Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup applesauce
- 1 cup molasses, Brer Rabbit unsulphured
- 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup hot water
Cinnamon Molasses Frosting
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon molasses
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9” square pan
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, then the applesauce and the molasses.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water and mix well.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan.
Make the Frosting:
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy.
- Add vanilla and cinnamon, mix well.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
- Mix molasses into mixture and blend well.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, frost the top of the cake. Lastly, lightly sprinkle evenly with a dusting of cinnamon.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
I love the balance of dark and light colors you have in your tablescape. Isn’t it fun when you find a new way to look at something, like your table runner? We had a rug upside down in my house for a long time because the underside was also so pretty.
if I do not have almond flour, what can I substitute that for? would unbleached all pupose work? love this!!!
Love those mums and those wine glasses! So fun! What a gorgeous table Sandy. You really do inspire me to make things look nicer on the table…I’m going to experiment for thanksgiving this year – I never have anything but food on the table!
Those nuts really would make a perfect topping, the cake sounds so delicious. Thanks friend!
That table setting is gorgeous! I need to take more time trying out new table settings and being creative with it! Is that your backyard, because it’s absolutely beautiful :)
GORGEOUS!!!
Looks yummy!!! I am not one to fret over the table…though I appreciate and love a pretty table, I just never take the time.