Gingerbread Layer Cake with Maple Buttercream
This gingerbread cake smells wonderful and tastes even better.
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins
- Total
- 55 mins
- Makes
- 12 servings
This moist, fragrant gingerbread cake is topped with maple butter cream cheese frosting and a cranberry compote. Add it to your holiday baking list!
maple-frosted gingerbread cake with cranberry compote
I've shared plenty of cookie recipes lately, so to wrap up 2018 I finally made a cake I had been eyeing for a while: gingerbread with maple buttercream frosting and cranberry compote. I tested it a few times until it turned out just right, and I'm thrilled with the result. It's moist, full of flavor, and smells incredible!
I first planned to go with cinnamon frosting, but I settled on a simple maple buttercream instead. At the last minute I also decided to add cranberry compote. The slight tartness of the cranberries plays beautifully against the buttercream and the gingerbread. And every time you open the fridge (if you store the cake there like I did), a lovely scent of maple drifts out.
soft gingerbread layer cake
To start this gingerbread cake, whisk all the dry ingredients together: all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, gingerbread spice, ground cloves, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
Next, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until they're light, fluffy, and pale. Add the egg and the unsulphured full flavor molasses, scraping out any molasses left in the measuring cup with a spatula, and mix until everything is combined.
Now, on the slowest mixer speed, add the dry ingredients and the hot water in turns. If your hand mixer still runs too fast, you can whisk this part by hand. Mix just until it comes together with the rest of the batter, and try not to overmix.
making maple buttercream frosting
This maple buttercream comes together in no time. Cream the unsalted butter, then mix in the confectioners sugar, half and half, and some maple flavored extract. That's all there is to it! It tastes wonderful with the gingerbread cake, and the recipe doubles easily if you need more.
a simple cranberry compote
In a medium saucepan, stir the fresh cranberries, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt together and bring to a boil, then drop the heat to a simmer. Before long the cranberries will start to split open.
As they split, mash them a little with the spoon you're stirring with, or use a potato masher like I did and press down gently.
Once the compote has thickened, take it off the heat and let it cool completely before adding it to the cake, which should also be fully cooled.
You can spread the compote between the layers (I piped a ring of frosting around the edge and spooned the compote into the middle) and over the top, or just leave it on top. It's your call!
Whether you pair it with the gingerbread cake and maple buttercream or eat it solo, it's delicious. I could easily eat it on its own too. Could I? I did! Ha!
freezing cake layers
Cake layers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you won't be making a cake within that window, you can also freeze the layers.
Stored properly, cake layers will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To freeze them, I wrap the layers tightly in plastic wrap and keep each one in its cake pan, topped with another layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil. If you need your pans back, wrap the layers tightly in plastic, add another layer of foil, and place them in a freezer bag.
If you're worried the layers could get squished, put pieces of cardboard in between them.
When you're ready to use them, let them come to room temperature for 3-4 hours. You can thaw them in the freezer bag, or take them out of the bag or pans. I kept mine in their cake pans until they reached room temp.
helpful tips for baking gingerbread cake
- To hold on to more of the cake's moisture, cool the layers upside down on a rack with the pans still on top. This can also help flatten the top if the cake has a dome.
- The cranberry compote is really tasty, but it's optional if cranberries aren't your thing.
check out my other holiday recipes!
Gingerbread Layer Cake with Maple Buttercream
This gingerbread cake with maple buttercream frosting and cranberry compote is a must-bake for the holidays, and it stays good into the new year! The moist, spiced cake goes well with the maple frosting, and the tart compote balances the sweetness of the buttercream. Perfect! * Makes 3, 6" x 2" cake layers.
- Prep
- 25 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins
- Total
- 55 mins
- Makes
- 12 servings
Ingredients
gingerbread cake
- 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Gingerbread Spice
- 1 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 1 cup Unsulphured Full Flavor Molasses
- 1 cup Hot Water
maple buttercream frosting
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter, softened
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 4 tbsp Half and Half
- 2 tsp Maple Flavored Extract
cranberry compote
- 8 oz Fresh Cranberries
- 1 cup Maple Syrup
- 1/8 tsp Salt
Method
- Set an oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Coat your 3, 6 inch round cake pans with a flour-based baking spray, line each with a parchment circle, then spray the parchment again. You can also butter the pans and dust them with flour, but still use the parchment circles because they help the cake release.
- In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, gingerbread spice, ground cloves, and salt. Set it aside.
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, then the unsulphured full flavor molasses, until everything is fully blended.
- Lower the mixer to low speed and alternate adding small amounts of the whisked dry ingredients and the hot water, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 3 pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
- After 5-10 minutes, remove the cakes from the pans and cool them on wire racks.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting them and adding the cranberry compote, if you're using it.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed.
- Turn the speed down and add the sifted powdered sugar and half and half a little at a time, alternating, until smooth.
- Mix in the maple flavored extract, then switch to high speed and whip the frosting for 3-4 minutes until it's light and fluffy.
- In a medium saucepan, stir the cranberries, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and keep stirring as the cranberries begin to burst, which happens fairly quickly as the mixture heats up. Mash them with the spoon you're stirring with, or use a potato masher like I did and press gently.
- Once the compote has thickened, remove it from the heat and let it cool completely before adding it to the cake.
- Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge of each cake layer, then spoon the cooled compote into the middle. You can also just spoon the compote over the top. It's up to you!
Baker’s notes
- To hold on to more of the cake's moisture, cool the layers upside down on a rack with the pans still on top. This can also help flatten the top if the cake has a dome.
- The cranberry compote is really tasty, but it's optional if cranberries aren't your thing.
- Gingerbread cake recipe adapted from a handwritten family recipe card.
- This maple buttercream frosting is adapted from a Wilton recipe.
- The cranberry compote is adapted from an Ocean Spray recipe.
