Moist Gingerbread Molasses Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
This gingerbread molasses cake with brown butter frosting is a delicious, old-fashioned dessert made with rich molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices. Baked in a 9×13-inch pan, the cake has a soft, tender crumb and all those classic gingerbread flavors that make holiday baking so special. It’s finished with a thick layer of homemade brown-butter buttercream that adds rich, nutty sweetness to every bite.
If you love traditional gingerbread, this cake is a wonderful way to enjoy those familiar flavors without the fuss of rolling dough or decorating cookies. If you want to add a little holiday decoration to your cake slices, check out my post on how to make sugared cranberries, which is the process I used in the photos for this post.
Unlike traditional gingerbread cookies that tend to be hard or crisp, this cake has a tender, fluffy crumb that practically melts in your mouth. It’s a simple, comforting dessert that’s easy to make on a chilly afternoon but special enough for Christmas or any holiday gathering
I actually started developing this molasses gingerbread cake around this time last year, but I couldn’t get it quite right. The first cake was overbaked, and the next had too much molasses. Both were edible, but neither was the cake I had in mind.
One thing I’ve always been particular about is making sure a recipe is fully tested before I share it here on The Heirloom Skillet. Sometimes that means making the same recipe several times, adjusting ingredients, baking times, or techniques until I’m completely happy with the results. I’m so happy to share it with you finally!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This gingerbread cake uses simple baking staples, but a few ingredients are especially important for its traditional flavor and texture.
For the Gingerbread Cake
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the cake tender. Measure the flour carefully to avoid adding too much, which can dry out the cake.
- Baking soda: Helps the cake rise and reacts with the molasses’ acidity.
- Ground ginger: The signature spice in gingerbread, giving the cake its distinctive warm, slightly peppery flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a gentle sweetness and warmth that balances the stronger ginger flavor.
- Ground cloves: A little goes a long way! Cloves add a deep, aromatic flavor that makes this cake taste like traditional gingerbread.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the spices’ flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and tenderness. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture, and a subtle caramel flavor that pairs beautifully with molasses.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together and gives the cake structure.
- Unsulphured molasses: The key ingredient in this old-fashioned gingerbread cake. It provides the deep color, rich flavor, and moisture that gingerbread is known for.
- Boiling water: Loosens the thick molasses batter, making it easier to combine the ingredients and helping produce a tender cake.
For the Brown Butter Frosting
- Unsalted butter: Browning the butter creates toasted milk solids that give the frosting its signature nutty, caramel-like flavor.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting while giving it a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds richness and helps create a fluffy, spreadable buttercream.
- Pure vanilla extract: Complements the toasted butter flavor and adds a subtle sweetness.
- Sea salt: Balances the sweetness of the powdered sugar and enhances the browned butter’s flavor.
What Kind of Molasses Is Best for Gingerbread Cake?
Molasses contributes much of gingerbread’s distinctive flavor, dark color, and moist texture, but not all molasses tastes the same.
For this recipe, you’ll need regular unsulphured molasses, sometimes labeled original or mild. Grandma’s is probably the most available brand in groceries stores throughout the U.S.
Unsulphured molasses is made from mature sugarcane without using sulfur dioxide during processing. It has a rich, sweet flavor with a slight bitterness that balances the brown sugar and warm spices.
Blackstrap molasses is much darker and considerably more bitter. While it’s useful in certain recipes, I wouldn’t recommend substituting it for regular molasses in this cake because it can overpower the gingerbread flavor.
Sorghum Molasses vs. Molasses: What’s the Difference?
Although sorghum molasses and regular molasses look similar, they’re made from two different plants and have slightly different flavors.
Sorghum molasses, also known as sorghum syrup, is made by pressing the juice from sweet sorghum cane and boiling it down into a thick, sweet syrup. It has a milder, slightly earthy flavor and a long history in Appalachian and Southern cooking, where it was (and still is) commonly served with homemade biscuits and butter.
Regular molasses is a byproduct of the sugar-refining process, typically made from sugarcane. It has a deeper, richer flavor with notes of caramel and a slight bitterness that gives recipes like this old-fashioned molasses cake its distinctive taste.
Tools and Equipment
You don’t need any special equipment to make this molasses gingerbread cake with brown butter frosting. Just a few basic baking tools and a skillet for browning the butter.
- 9 × 13-inch baking pan – For baking the gingerbread cake.
- Mixing bowls – You’ll need separate bowls for the dry ingredients, cake batter, and frosting.
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer – For creaming the butter and sugar, mixing the cake batter, and whipping the brown butter frosting.
- Measuring cups and spoons – For measuring the ingredients. A kitchen scale helps you measure the flour accurately.
- Whisk – For combining the dry ingredients and spices.
- Rubber spatula – For scraping down the mixing bowl and transferring the batter to the pan.
- Light-colored skillet – Makes it easier to watch the butter change color as it browns, helping prevent it from burning.
- Offset spatula – For spreading the brown butter frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Parchment paper – Optional, but makes it easier to remove the cake from the pan.
Can You Substitute Sorghum Molasses for Regular Molasses?
Yes! If you’re looking for a substitute for regular molasses in this cake, sorghum molasses is one of the best options. You can generally substitute it at a 1:1 ratio.
Keep in mind that sorghum is naturally milder and sweeter, so the finished cake may have a slightly lighter, less robust molasses flavor. However, its rich, earthy sweetness makes it a good alternative for this old-fashioned cake.
How to Make Gingerbread Cake
This homemade gingerbread cake comes together with a few simple steps. The most important things to remember are to avoid overmixing the batter and to allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Step 1: Prepare the Baking Pan
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
If using parchment paper, leave a little overhang on the sides to make lifting the cooled cake out of the pan easier.
Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until evenly combined.
Whisking the dry ingredients separately helps distribute the spices and baking soda throughout the cake.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Brown Sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and light brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and molasses, mixing until combined. The mixture may look slightly separated at this stage, which is normal.
Step 4: Add the Flour and Boiling Water
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the boiling water. Mix on low speed just until combined and the batter is smooth.
The batter will be thinner than many traditional cake batters because of the boiling water. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.
Step 5: Bake the Gingerbread Cake
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Brown Butter Frosting
Homemade brown butter frosting makes this gingerbread cake especially delicious. Browning the butter brings out a rich, toasted flavor that adds something special to an otherwise simple buttercream.
Step 1: Brown the Butter
Place the unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan over medium heat.
As the butter melts, it will begin to bubble and foam. Stir continuously, scraping the bottom of the pan.
After several minutes, the butter will turn golden, and you’ll notice small brown specks forming on the bottom of the pan. These are the toasted milk solids that give brown butter its delicious flavor.
Keep stirring until the butter is golden amber and smells rich and nutty.
Remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter, including the browned bits, into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking.
Step 2: Cool the Brown Butter
Let the browned butter cool until it reaches a soft, semi-solid consistency, like room-temperature butter.
The butter should no longer be warm or liquid, but still soft enough to beat for 2–3 minutes, until the frosting is light, fluffy, and smooth.
If the frosting is too thick, add a little more heavy cream, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 4: Frost the Cake
Once the gingerbread cake has cooled completely, spread the brown butter frosting evenly over the top.
Tips for the Best Gingerbread Cake
Use the right kind of molasses– Unsulphured molasses is the best choice for this recipe, and I’ll go into the details of that below. Regular or mild unsulphured molasses provides that classic gingerbread flavor without the strong bitterness of blackstrap molasses.
Measure the flour carefully– Using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients is going to give you the best results. However, if you don’t have one, be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off; don’t scoop directly from the bag. Too much flour can make the cake dry or dense.
Use fresh ground spices– Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are the foundation of this cake’s flavor. Spices lose potency over time, so fresh spices make a noticeable difference.
Don’t overmix the batter– Once you add the flour, mix only until combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and make the cake tough.
Watch the butter closely while browning. Brown butter can go from perfectly golden to burned quickly. A light-colored pan makes it much easier to see when the milk solids turn golden brown.
Let the brown butter cool before making the frosting. The butter needs to be soft and semi-solid to create a fluffy buttercream. If it’s still liquid, the frosting won’t have the same consistency.
Cool the cake completely before frosting. Even a slightly warm cake can melt the buttercream and make it slide off the top.
How to Store Molasses Cake
Refrigerator: Because of the brown butter frosting made with heavy cream, I recommend storing the frosted gingerbread cake in the refrigerator. Cover the baking pan tightly with plastic wrap or transfer individual slices to an airtight container. Store for up to 5 days. For the best flavor and texture, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before serving so the frosting has time to soften.
Freezer: This gingerbread cake freezes well for up to 3 months. For the best results, freeze the cake without frosting. Once completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, or place individual slices in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.
Make Ahead: You can bake the gingerbread cake a day ahead. Once cooled, cover it tightly and store it at room temperature overnight. Prepare the brown butter frosting and frost the cake the following day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The batter for this molasses gingerbread cake is supposed to be thinner than a traditional cake batter. Between the molasses and boiling water, it will have a fairly loose consistency. Resist the urge to add more flour! The extra moisture is part of what gives the finished cake its soft, tender texture.
Yes, sorghum syrup is one of the better substitutes for unsulphured molasses in this recipe. It’s a little sweeter and has a milder flavor, so the cake won’t have quite the same deep, rich molasses taste. However, it pairs beautifully with the ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.
A slight dip isn’t necessarily a problem, but a noticeably sunken center can mean the cake wasn’t quite finished baking. This is a moist, fairly dense cake, so it’s important to check the center rather than relying on the baking time alone. Opening the oven door too early or using expired baking soda can also contribute to sinking.
You can strain out the browned milk solids if you prefer a completely smooth frosting, but I recommend keeping them! Those little golden-brown bits are where much of the toasted, nutty flavor comes from. Once the butter is whipped with the powdered sugar and cream, they blend into the frosting.
If the browned butter is too cold and firm when you begin whipping it, the frosting may not come together smoothly. Let it soften slightly before beating. Also, make sure you’re using powdered sugar rather than granulated sugar. If your powdered sugar has lumps, sift it before adding it to the butter.
Moist Gingerbread Molasses Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients
Directions
- For the Molasses Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 × 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and molasses to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl to incorporate everything evenly.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the boiling water. Mix just until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
- For the Brown Butter Frosting
- While the cake cools, add the butter to a large, light-colored skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt, stirring frequently as it begins to bubble and foam. Continue cooking for approximately 5–8 minutes, stirring constantly as the milk solids begin to turn golden brown. The butter is ready when it develops an amber color and a rich, nutty aroma.
- Immediately remove the skillet from the heat and carefully pour the browned butter, including the browned bits, into a heatproof bowl to prevent further cooking. Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour, or until cooled and beginning to solidify. The butter should be soft enough to whip but no longer liquid.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the cooled brown butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the heavy whipping cream, mixing on low speed until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and sea salt, then beat for another 2–3 minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy. Avoid overmixing.
- Spoon the brown butter frosting onto the completely cooled gingerbread cake. Using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top.
- Slice into 12 squares and serve. If desired, garnish each slice with sugared cranberries and a small sprig of fresh rosemary for a festive finishing touch.
Nutrition
Notes
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