The holiday season is just around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious gingerbread cake? Gingerbread is a traditional Christmas dessert that’s been enjoyed for centuries around the world.

The warm and spicy aroma of gingerbread baking in the oven is enough to make everyone feel festive and cozy. This recipe will show you how to make a spicy and festive gingerbread cake that will have everyone coming back for seconds.

Ingredients

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch square cake pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the molasses and egg and beat until well combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the hot water. Mix until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Variations

This gingerbread cake is delicious as is, but if you want to switch things up, here are some variations you can try:.

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• Add 1/2 cup of chopped crystallized ginger for extra ginger flavor and texture.
• Make a cream cheese frosting to go on top of the cake. Mix 8 oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
• Serve the cake warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
• Add some chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, for extra crunch.

Tips

If you’ve never made gingerbread before, here are a few tips to help you get it right:.

• Make sure your butter is at room temperature before you start mixing it with the sugar. If your butter is too cold, the mixture won’t get light and fluffy the way it should.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix until the dry ingredients are just combined, and don’t worry about getting out every last lumps. Overmixing can result in a dense and tough cake.
• If you’re using a glass cake pan, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Glass heats up faster than metal and can cause your cake to overbrown on the bottom.
• Let the cake cool completely before cutting into it. Gingerbread is a dense cake, and it needs time to set in order to make clean cuts.

Conclusion

A spicy and festive gingerbread cake is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season. This recipe is easy to follow and produces a moist and flavorful cake that will be a hit with everyone who tries it.

So put on some Christmas music, brew up some mulled cider, and get baking!.