Today I’m making a Gingerbread Cake Recipe. This holiday cake has 12 thin layers of gingerbread cookie dough, soaked in a delicate sour cream filling and decorated with candied, powdered sugar cranberries. This spiced cake recipe is very easy to prepare with simple ingredients and no special skills required.
Ingredients for the cake dough:
550-600g all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
200g sugar
100g butter
130g honey
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
Ingredients for the filling:
500 ml cold heavy whipping cream
500ml cold sour cream
150g powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
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Step 1
In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, butter and salt.
Place the pan over medium heat and cook the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add baking soda and the rest of the spices. Mix very well to incorporate the seasoning. Baking soda will react with the honey and the mixture will increase in volume.
Step 2
Transfer the honey mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool down for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, using a fork whisk the eggs. Add the eggs to the honey mixture and using a spatula mix very well.
Step 3
Next, add about half of the flour and using a spoon start mixing the dough, adding the rest of the flour gradually. When mixing with a spoon becomes too hard, place a good amount of flour onto your work surface and place the dough in the middle. Start kneading the dough, adding the rest of the flour as needed.
*Don’t add the rest of the flour all at once. Everyone has different flour, so you may need a little bit more or less than indicated in the recipe. Be guided by the consistency of the dough. It should turn out soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 4
Next, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, place it onto a floured plate or a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
Step 5
When the dough has chilled, slightly flour a piece of parchment paper or a Teflon sheet and roll the piece of the dough thin. Keep the rest of the dough refrigerated and take one piece at a time.
The size of the rolled dough should be about an inch bigger, then the size of your future cake. I’m going to use an 8-inch baking ring to cut out the circle, but you can also use a plate or a pan lid. Transfer the parchment paper into a baking pan and using a fork prick some holes all over the cake layer. Bake at 350°F degrees (180°C) for 6-8 minutes, remove the parchment paper from the baking sheet and immediately, using the shape of your choice, cut out the cake layer.
* Because we’re rolling the dough very thin, you want to roll it immediately on the parchment paper or a Teflon sheet, that will go straight into the oven.
The cake layer should look like a thin, giant cookie. It will cool down very fast, so you can lay down the layers one on top of the another. And by the way, while one cake layer is in the oven, you can prepare the second one. That way the whole process will go very fast.
Collect all the leftover baked dough into a bowl. Part of it will go for decorating the cake, and you can enjoy the rest of it with a cup of coffee.
Step 6
First, using a hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream. Next, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and sour cream. Using a hand mixer on low speed, mix all the ingredients together. Be careful to not over whip the filling. Put aside about three spoons of cake filling, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the final coat.
*It’s best to use thick sour cream, that contains a high amount of fat. If you don’t have thick sour cream, transfer it into a sieve covered with cheesecloth and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. The extra whey will drain off and the sour cream will thicken.
Step 7
Assembling the cake is very easy. Place about two tablespoons of cake filling on the cake layer, spread it with a spatula, cover with the next cake layer and repeat the process.
If you like to make the sides of your cake very straight, place a baking ring or adjustable baking ring around the cake layer and line it with acetate sheet or like me, with a Teflon sheet, that I cut into stripes. Next, keep assembling the cake inside the ring. Don’t forget to cover the top cake layer with the filling, then cover the assembled cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Step 8
To decorate the cake, we’re going to use the leftover cake crumbs. Place about a third of the cake pieces into a food processor or a food blender and grind into crumbs.
Take off the baking ring and the Teflon stripes from the chilled cake. Then, using the cake filling that we saved in the beginning, cover the sides and the top of the cake. It is easier to do, using a turntable. If you don’t have a turntable, place the cake on a wide-necked bowl and move it carefully. The last thing to do, is to cover the entire cake with the cake crumbs.
*A little advice, place the cake over a baking sheet, that way the cleaning process will be much easier.
Decorate the cake as you desire. I use powdered sugar cranberries and rosemary twigs. I can’t even explain with words how soft, moist and mouth watering this cake is and I really hope that my tutorial inspires you to make these Gingerbread Cake Recipe.
Make sure to watch my YouTube video recipe for step-by-step instructions and see how I make this Gingerbread Cake Recipe! Want new recipe updates? Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel!
Tips for Making Gingerbread Cake
- Use good quality honey, as it will affect the taste of the cake.
- Don’t add the rest of the flour all at once. Everyone has different flour, so you may need a little bit more or less than indicated in the recipe. Be guided by the consistency of the dough. It should turn out soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
- When rolling the dough into balls, don’t skip the refrigeration step.
- Because we’re rolling the dough very thin, you want to roll it immediately on the parchment paper or a Teflon sheet, that will go straight into the oven.
- When rolling the cake layers, roll out the next layers while the first ones are in the oven, it will reduce your total baking time.
- It’s best to use thick sour cream, that contains a high amount of fat. If you don’t have thick sour cream, transfer it into a sieve covered with cheese cloth and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. The extra whey will drain off and the sour cream will thicken.
- Give the cake layers time to soak up the sour cream frosting for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- If you don’t add the cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ginger and allspice, you will make a classic Russian Honey Cake.
How to Store the Gingerbread Cake?
- You can store the leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can bake and freeze the cake layers in advance. Place parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking together. Wrap and freeze up to 3 months. Frost the cake a day before serving.
PIN FOR LATER
Gingerbread Cake Recipe
This holiday cake has 12 thin layers of gingerbread cookie dough, soaked in a delicate sour cream filling and decorated with candied, powdered sugar cranberries.
Ingredients for the cake dough:
- 550-600 g all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 200 g sugar
- 100 g butter
- 130 g honey
- 3 eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
Ingredients for the filling:
- 500 ml cold heavy whipping cream
- 500 g cold sour cream
- 150 g powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
-
In a heavy bottom saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, butter and salt.
Place the pan over medium heat and cook the mixture until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add baking soda and the rest of the spices.
-
Mix very well to incorporate the seasoning. Baking soda will react with the honey and the mixture will increase in volume.
Transfer the honey mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool down for about 5 minutes. In the meantime, using a fork whisk the eggs. Add the eggs to the honey mixture and using a spatula mix very well.
-
Next, add about half of the flour and using a spoon start mixing the dough, adding the rest of the flour gradually. When mixing with a spoon becomes too hard, place a good amount of flour onto your work surface and place the dough in the middle. Start kneading the dough, adding the rest of the flour as needed.
-
Next, divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, place it onto a floured plate or a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.
-
When the dough has chilled, slightly flour a piece of parchment paper or a Teflon sheet and roll the piece of the dough thin. Keep the rest of the dough refrigerated and take one piece at a time.
The size of the rolled dough should be about an inch bigger, then the size of your future cake. I’m going to use an 8-inch baking ring to cut out the circle, but you can also use a plate or a pan lid.
Transfer the parchment paper into a baking pan and using a fork prick some holes all over the cake layer. Bake at 350°F degrees (180°C) for 6-8 minutes, remove the parchment paper from the baking sheet and immediately, using the shape of your choice, cut out the cake layer.
-
Collect all the leftover baked dough into a bowl. Part of it will go for decorating the cake, and you can enjoy the rest of it with a cup of coffee.
To make the filling:
-
First, using a hand mixer, whip the cold heavy cream. Next, add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and sour cream. Using a hand mixer on low speed, mix all the ingredients together. Be careful to not over whip the filling.
Put aside about three spoons of cake filling, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the final coat.
To Assemble the cake:
-
Place about two tablespoons of cake filling on the cake layer, spread it with a spatula, cover with the next cake layer and repeat the process.
-
If you like to make the sides of your cake very straight, place a baking ring or adjustable baking ring around the cake layer and line it with acetate sheet or like me, with a Teflon sheet, that I cut into stripes.
Next, keep assembling the cake inside the ring. Don’t forget to cover the top cake layer with the filling, then cover the assembled cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours or overnight.
-
To decorate the cake, we’re going to use the leftover cake crumbs. Place about a third of the cake pieces into a food processor or a food blender and grind into crumbs.
Take off the baking ring and the Teflon stripes from the chilled cake. Then, using the cake filling that we saved in the beginning, cover the sides and the top of the cake.
-
The last thing to do, is to cover the entire cake with the cake crumbs. A little advice, place the cake over a baking sheet, that way the cleaning process will be much easier.
Decorate the cake as you desire.
Tips for Making Gingerbread Cake
- Use good quality honey, as it will affect the taste of the cake.
- Don’t add the rest of the flour all at once. Everyone has different flour, so you may need a little bit more or less than indicated in the recipe. Be guided by the consistency of the dough. It should turn out soft and slightly sticky to the touch.
- When rolling the dough into balls, don’t skip the refrigeration step.
- Because we’re rolling the dough very thin, you want to roll it immediately on the parchment paper or a Teflon sheet, that will go straight into the oven.
- When rolling the cake layers, roll out the next layers while the first ones are in the oven, it will reduce your total baking time.
- It’s best to use thick sour cream, that contains a high amount of fat. If you don’t have thick sour cream, transfer it into a sieve covered with cheese cloth and refrigerate for 10-12 hours. The extra whey will drain off and the sour cream will thicken.
- Give the cake layers time to soak up the sour cream frosting for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- If you don’t add the cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ginger and allspice, you will make a classic Russian Honey Cake.
How to Store the Gingerbread Cake?
- You can store the leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- You can bake and freeze the cake layers in advance. Place parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking together. Wrap and freeze up to 3 months. Frost the cake a day before serving.
You may also like:
Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses
Gingerbread Cookie Dough
Christmas Fruit Cake
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