Gingerbread Cake with Gingerbread Cream Cheese Frosting (Easy Holiday Sheet Cake)

Ingredients

Gingerbread Cake

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup molasse
• 1 cup hot water

Gingerbread Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese softened
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Optional Garnish

• Mini gingerbread cookies or gingerbread men

Instructions

For the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, oil, and brown sugar until smooth and light. Add the eggs and molasses, mix until combined.
4. Slowly add the dry mixture, alternating with the hot water, mixing until smooth. The batter will be thin.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting

6. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.
7. Add the vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, mixing until fully combined.
8. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until fluffy and combined.
9. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
10. Garnish with mini gingerbread cookies or crushed gingerbread pieces for decoration.