Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (300g) all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (113g, ½ cup) unsalted butter at room temperature
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (175g) unsulphured molasses light or original, not Robust or Blackstrap
• ¾ cup (175ml) hot water

For The Frosting (Optional):

• 4 oz (113g) cream cheese softened
• 1 stick (113g, ½ cup) unsalted butter softened
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• holiday sprinkles optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C, and grease a 9×13 inch pan with baking spray. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour with baking soda, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a bowl of a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for one minute or until creamy. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat again for another minute scraping down the sides of the bowl, until well combined.
4. In a small bowl, combine the molasses with hot water. Add the dry ingredients and the molasses mixture to the bowl with the butter, and mix at low speed until just combined.
5. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake or a few crumbs remain.
6. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack.

To Make The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream together the cream cheese and butter until well blended. Then mix in the powdered sugar a bit at a time. Finish by mixing in vanilla extract and cinnamon.
• Frost the cake with an offset spatula, and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles if desired. Slice into 12 pieces and serve.