Description

Welcome to the coziest bake of the season! Imagine the scent of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses filling your kitchen as a tall, elegant cake takes shape. This isn’t just dessert—it’s the centerpiece of your holiday table. Tender layers of spiced gingerbread meet tangy, spiced cream cheese frosting for a showstopper that tastes like pure holiday magic. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or just to make the season brighter, this cake is guaranteed to gather smiles (and requests for seconds).

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Layers:

6 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
2 ½ cups dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp ground ginger
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
5 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups egg whites (or 8 whole eggs)
3 cups sour cream, room temp
1 cup neutral oil
½ cup unsulphured molasses
2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 2 oranges or 2 Tbsp espresso powder (optional twist)

For the Frosting:

4 cups (8 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups (16 oz) cream cheese, room temp
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
20 cups powdered sugar, sifted
⅔ cup heavy cream
2 tsp cinnamon + ½ tsp nutmeg (optional)

For Decorating:
Sugared cranberries, rosemary sprigs, gingerbread cookie crumbs, or a dusting of cinnamon

Instructions

Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease & line four 9-inch round cake pans with parchment.
Mix Dry: Whisk flour, sugars, spices, baking powder & salt. Cut in butter until sandy.
Mix Wet: Whisk eggs, sour cream, oil, molasses, vanilla & zest/espresso.
Combine: Slowly mix wet into dry until smooth (don’t overmix!).
Bake: Divide batter evenly among pans. Bake 30–34 min until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
Frosting: Beat butter + cream cheese until fluffy. Add vanilla & salt. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, then cream. Beat until light. Add spices if using.
Assemble: Layer cake + frosting, apply crumb coat, chill, then frost generously. Decorate as desired.

Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 30–34 min

Nutrition

Calories: 540cal Per Serving
Fat: 25g
Carbohydrates: 72g
Protein: 6g