Gingerbread Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
This gingerbread cake is soft, cozy, deeply spiced, and full of that rich molasses flavor that makes it feel instantly festive. It bakes into a tender sheet cake, then gets chilled, sliced into clean little rectangles, and finished with a fluffy cream cheese icing.
It’s simple, nostalgic, and perfect for holiday boxes, dessert tables, or any December baking day when you want something warm and classic.
Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
145 g granulated sugar
113 g unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
2 egg yolks
175 g molasses
310 g all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp salt
245 ml hot water
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and whipped.
Add the egg and egg yolks. Mix again until combined and slightly lightened.
Add the molasses and mix until incorporated. The mixture may look slightly separated at this stage—that’s totally fine.
Add the flour, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Fold until the batter becomes very thick.
Slowly whisk in the hot water until smooth. The batter will loosen into a pourable cake batter.
Pour into the prepared sheet pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the cake is baked through and gently springs back when touched.
Let the cake cool fully. Wrap well in cling film and freeze for 4–5 hours, or until firm.
While frozen, cut the cake into clean, even rectangles. Freezing makes it much easier to get sharp edges.
Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
205 g unsalted butter, softened
155 g cream cheese, softened
490 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp kosher salt
1–2 tbsp cream, optional, if needed to loosen
Instructions
In a bowl, whip together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fully combined.
Add the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip until light, fluffy, and creamy.
If the icing feels too thick, add 1 tablespoon of cream at a time and whip until it reaches a soft, spreadable consistency.
Use right away, or store in the fridge. If chilled, let it soften slightly and re-whip before using.
Assembly
Spread or pipe the cream cheese icing over the gingerbread cake rectangles.
Serve chilled or slightly softened at room temperature. The cake stays soft, spiced, and rich, while the cream cheese icing adds the perfect creamy finish.
A little bakery-style gingerbread moment for the holidays.
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Gingerbread Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing
This gingerbread cake is soft, cozy, deeply spiced, and full of that rich molasses flavor that makes it feel instantly festive. It bakes into a tender sheet cake, then gets chilled, sliced into clean little rectangles, and finished with a fluffy cream cheese icing.
Ingredients
- 145 g granulated sugar
- 113 g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 175 g molasses
- 310 g all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt
- 245 ml hot water
- 205 g unsalted butter, softened
- 155 g cream cheese, softened
- 490 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 1–2 tbsp cream, optional, if needed to loosen
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light, fluffy, and whipped.
- Add the egg and egg yolks. Mix again until combined and slightly lightened.
- Add the molasses and mix until incorporated. The mixture may look slightly separated at this stage—that’s totally fine.
- Add the flour, baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Fold until the batter becomes very thick.
- Slowly whisk in the hot water until smooth. The batter will loosen into a pourable cake batter.
- Pour into the prepared sheet pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the cake is baked through and gently springs back when touched.
- Let the cake cool fully. Wrap well in cling film and freeze for 4–5 hours, or until firm.
- While frozen, cut the cake into clean, even rectangles. Freezing makes it much easier to get sharp edges.
- In a bowl, whip together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fully combined.
- Add the icing sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip until light, fluffy, and creamy.
- If the icing feels too thick, add 1 tablespoon of cream at a time and whip until it reaches a soft, spreadable consistency.
- Use right away, or store in the fridge. If chilled, let it soften slightly and re-whip before using.
- Spread or pipe the cream cheese icing over the gingerbread cake rectangles.
- Serve chilled or slightly softened at room temperature. The cake stays soft, spiced, and rich, while the cream cheese icing adds the perfect creamy finish.
- A little bakery-style gingerbread moment for the holidays.
