Kitchen Front Ginger Cake Recipes

GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with a parchment round.
• Stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Combine the brown sugar and butter in another large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined (it's fine if the mixture looks a little curdled).
• Stir the molasses into the boiling water in a large spouted measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium and beat just until smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. Once cool, invert the cakes onto the rack, then peel off and discard the parchment.
• For the frosting: Combine the butter and cream cheese in a clean mixer bowl. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner's' sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla and gradually increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adding up to 1 tablespoon of milk if needed so the frosting is spreadable.
• Place one cake layer flat-side down on a cake stand or platter. Top with about 3/4 cup of the frosting, spreading almost to the edges using an offset spatula. Place the remaining cake layer on top, flat-side up. Spread the remaining frosting on the entire cake and smooth the top and sides with the offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake while you decorate the gingerbread cookies.
• For the decorations: Meanwhile, microwave the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl until just melted. (Alternatively, melt the chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; do not let bowl touch the water.) Let cool slightly and put into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip (or use a plastic ziptop bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe eyes and smiles on the gingerbread cookie faces.
• Arrange the merry gingerbread men side by side around the bottom edge of the cake, pressing in slightly to adhere. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the nonpareils.

GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Lightly butter a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a piece of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, molasses, and crystallized ginger. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
• In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.
• In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two 9-by-13-inch pans with parchment paper; coat with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mixes as directed; divide between the pans and bake as directed. Let cool, then unmold.
• Stack the 2 cakes with chocolate frosting in between. Mark the middle with toothpicks as shown, then cut in half crosswise. Stack the 2 halves with frosting in between to make a 4-layer cake. Freeze 30 minutes.
• Put the cake on cardboard with a short side facing you. Mark the middle with toothpicks as shown. To form the roof, shave off the top 2 layers of cake at an angle, starting 1/2 inch to the right and left of the toothpicks.
• Crumble about 2 cups of the cake trimmings and mix with just enough chocolate frosting so it sticks together. Moisten your fingers, then gently mold the top of the cake to form the tip of the roof.
• Cut the graham crackers by scoring with a small serrated knife, then snapping along the scored line. You will need 16 graham cracker squares, 4 large triangles and 2 small triangles to cover the cake.
• Cover the cake completely with the remaining chocolate frosting. Gently press the graham crackers into the frosting to cover the whole cake except the angled roof.
• Cut 1 whole graham cracker into 4 small rectangles for the chimney. Insert into the roof as shown, making sure the tops of the graham crackers are aligned.
• Arrange the cereal on the roof in rows, starting from the bottom and working your way up; overlap the rows so they look like shingles.
• Decorate the house with vanilla frosting, candies and sanding sugar. To make icicles, pipe a dot of frosting, then drag the pastry bag downward. Top the chimney with cotton candy. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

SKILLET GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH EGGNOG ROYAL ICING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch round pan or skillet with butter and lightly coat with flour.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, crystallized ginger, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, molasses and milk. Whisk in the egg and orange zest.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined and there are no more lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until the edges look dark and the middle feels firm to the touch. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
• For the eggnog royal icing: Measure out half of the powdered sugar and place in the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl, then add the egg white, rum, bourbon, vanilla, nutmeg, cloves, salt, cream of tartar and heavy cream. Mix at low speed with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, adding the remaining powdered sugar. Increase speed to medium and beat until thick and smooth. It should have the texture of a loose buttercream, thick and malleable.
• Pour the icing over the warm cake and spread evenly with a small spatula. Slice and serve.

FRESH GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, or a 9-inch springform pan, with a circle of parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, sugar and oil. In separate medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in baking soda, then mix hot water into molasses mixture. Stir in ginger.
• Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into batter. Add eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of cake springs back lightly when pressed or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of cake browns too quickly before cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.
• Cool cake for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of cake to loosen it from pan. Invert cake onto a cooling rack, and remove parchment paper.

BEST EVER EASY GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 25cm square (10 inch) cake tin and line it with baking (silicone) paper.
• (Try to use the correct size tin or the cake may crack.) Set the oven to moderate 180° C (350° F).
• Sift all of the dry ingredients into a medium mixing bowl.
• Combine butter pieces, golden syrup and treacle in a small saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted.
• (This step can also be done in the microwave.) Add water to syrup mixture.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the syrup mixture and the eggs.
• Mix until well combined.
• Don’t be concerned that the mixture is quite liquid at this stage.
• Pour cake mixture into prepared tin.
• Tap tin lightly on bench to dispel air bubbles.
• Place on centre shelf of 180° C (350° F) oven for 35-40 minutes.
• Check towards the end of the baking time to ensure the edges are not burning.
• The cake should be dark but must not be blackened at the edges.
• (If you do burn the edges, cut them off and ice over the edges and no-one will notice!).
• When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Then, carefully invert it onto a rack or bread board to cool.
• Icing the Cake: Sift the icing sugar into a small mixing bowl.
• In a separate small mixing bowl, beat the butter (or margarine) until smooth.
• Gradually add the sifted icing sugar, beating between additions until the sugar is completely mixed with the butter.
• Add the lemon juice and beat well until the mixture reaches an easily spreadable consistency.
• Spread icing over the top of the cake and (optional) decorate with pieces of crystallised ginger.

APRIL BLOOMFIELD'S GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack set in the center. Generously butter an 8-inch round, 3-inch high springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper and place on baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a small saucepan, stir together boiling water, molasses, and baking soda until molasses has completely dissolved.
• Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to medium-low and add egg; mix until combined. Add grated ginger and mix to combine.
• Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the molasses mixture, scraping down sides as necessary. Batter will be very wet. Pour batter into prepared pan and transfer to oven. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly before removing ring from springform pan; serve warm.

GREAT-GRANDMA'S GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add molasses and egg; mix well. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt and cloves. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with water, beating well after each addition., Pour into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped topping.