My Gingerbread Layer Cake is cozy and festive, comes together in just over an hour, and is finished with sparkling sugared cranberries. The recipe below includes a how-to video.
The Perfect Christmas Cake
Imagine all the wintery, holiday flavors baked into a single cake — warm ginger and molasses, tender cake layers, brown sugar cream cheese frosting, and a bright crown of sugared cranberries. This gingerbread layer cake is a beautiful centerpiece for holiday gatherings and a comforting dessert any winter weekend.
This is a true gingerbread cake: the batter uses unsulphured molasses and a blend of classic gingerbread spices. The cake pairs especially well with a brown sugar twist on cream cheese frosting, which balances the deep molasses flavor with a sweet, tangy finish.
The method is straightforward and approachable, with a nod to the reverse-creaming style that helps create a tender crumb. You don’t need a stand mixer for the batter — simple tools and clear steps produce three sturdy layers that stack nicely. These layers are slightly denser than cupcake-style gingerbread, which helps them hold up when sliced and frosted.
What You Need
Key ingredients that shape the cake’s flavor and texture:
- Molasses. Essential for authentic gingerbread flavor. Use unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap) for the best taste and balance.
- Spices. Ground ginger is the star, supported by cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to create a warm, layered spice profile.
- Sour cream. Adds moisture and tenderness so the crumb stays soft and pleasant; full-fat plain Greek yogurt can be substituted.
- Brown sugar. Light brown sugar is recommended in both cake and frosting for a mild caramel note; dark brown can overwhelm the other flavors.
- Cream cheese. Use full-fat, block-style cream cheese for a rich, stable frosting.
SAM’S TIP: A bit of very hot water helps bloom the spices, deepening their aroma and lightening the cake’s crumb.
This overview explains why the ingredients work here. The full ingredient list and step-by-step instructions follow.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until combined.
- Stir in the melted butter and oil, then add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, mixing until uniform.
- Stir in very hot water to bloom the spices and loosen the batter.
- Divide batter evenly between three prepared 8” pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in their pans for 10–15 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat together softened cream cheese, softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- Gradually add powdered sugar until the frosting reaches the desired consistency; thin with a tablespoon of cream or milk if needed.
- Level the cooled cake layers if necessary, then assemble with a generous layer of frosting between each. Apply a thinner crumb coat to the exterior for a semi-naked or fully frosted finish.
- Pipe or dollop decorative swirls on top and finish with sugared cranberries or other seasonal garnishes.
SAM’S TIP: Sugared cranberries are an easy, festive garnish that adds color and a bright pop of flavor to the finished cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional gingerbread is often denser, darker, sometimes served without frosting, and can be prepared differently. This gingerbread layer cake is lighter, layered, and finished with cream cheese-based frosting for a dessert-style presentation.
Yes. The brown sugar cream cheese frosting complements the molasses and spices particularly well, but you can use vanilla buttercream, stabilized whipped cream, or even a brighter lemon frosting depending on your preference.
Store the cake in an airtight container. At room temperature it will keep for about 24 hours; refrigerated, it will stay fresh for 4–5 days. The layers or a fully frosted cake can be frozen for longer storage.
Ready to bake? This recipe moves fairly quickly, and the results are a warm, spiced layer cake that looks as lovely as it tastes. The combination of molasses, ginger-forward spices, and brown sugar cream cheese frosting feels classic and festive.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I walk through the full steps in the written recipe and video included below. If you try this recipe, share a photo on social media and tag your post so others can enjoy it too.
Gingerbread Layer Cake
Includes a how-to video.
Equipment
- 3 8” round cake pans
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (for frosting)
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 2/3 cups (335 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) avocado, vegetable, or canola oil
- 3/4 cup (177 ml) unsulphured molasses
- 3 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (226 g) sour cream (8 oz)
- 1/3 cup very hot water
Frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened (full-fat)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (66 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (500 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream or milk, optional
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8” round pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Add melted butter and oil, stirring until combined.
- Stir in the molasses, then add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream, mixing until uniform.
- Stir in the very hot water, scraping the bowl so the batter is even.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake on the center rack for about 28 minutes, until the cakes spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
- Cool in pans for 10–15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese, softened butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar until combined. If frosting is too thick, add heavy cream or milk a tablespoon at a time and beat briefly on high speed.
- Level the cooled cakes if needed. Assemble with frosting between layers, frost the outside as desired, and pipe decorative swirls or dollops if you like. Finish with sugared cranberries or other seasonal decorations.
Notes
Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 24 hours, or refrigerate up to 4–5 days. Cake layers or assembled cake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for longer storage.
Making in Advance
Cake layers can be made up to 2 days in advance, wrapped tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze wrapped layers. Frosting can be made up to one day ahead; bring to room temperature and stir before using.
Frosting Yield
This amount of frosting is enough to frost the cake in a semi-naked style and add decorative dollops on top as shown in photos.
Sugared Cranberries
Sugared cranberries make a bright, easy garnish for the top of the cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This gingerbread layer cake recipe was originally published in 2015 and updated in November 2022 for clarity and reliability. The frosting was revised from a bourbon variation to a brown sugar cream cheese frosting to better complement the cake.
Related Recipes
Gingerbread Men Cookies
Pumpkin Cake
Gingerbread Cookie Bars
