Name: Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup light or dark brown sugar (packed); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup molasses; 1/2 cup butter (softened); 1 cup hot water; 2 whole eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; mini gingerbread cookies (for decorating the top); festive Christmas sprinkles (for decorating the top ); 8 ounces cream cheese (softened); 6 tablespoons butter (softened); 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 1/2-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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This Gingerbread Sheet Cake is so cozy, filled with warm spices, and topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting, festive sprinkles, and cute little gingerbread cookies. It’s so simple, easy and can feed a crowd!

PIN this easy Gingerbread Sheet Cake recipe to try later!

Gingerbread Sheet Cake topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting, festive sprinkles, and cute little gingerbread cookies.

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a perfect cake to bake during the holiday season. It’s loaded with all the warm, rich, and sweet spices of gingerbread and the fluffy and tangy cream cheese frosting compliments the delicious cake perfectly.

The cake is spongey, moist with a super tender crumb and is so easy to prepare. It’s simple enough to make it during the week as a snack cake, or to bring to a potluck or holiday party.

Sheet cakes are one of the easiest cakes to bake! My favorite part is that we get to bake, frost, and serve the cake in the same pan. You don’t have to worry about the hassle of making this single layer cake look perfect and you can decorate it any way that you want. Also, clean up is a breeze!

Other gingerbread recipe to try are my Classic Gingerbread Man Cookies, Frosted Gingerbread Cookies, Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies, Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookie Cups, and Gingerbread Cookie Bars.

Piece of gingerbread sheet cake with gingerbread cookie on top.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfect Christmas dessert: This cake is so moist, soft and tender everyone will fall in love at the first bite!

Gingerbread flavor: This Gingerbread Sheet Cake is full of gingerbread spice and is so festive for the holidays with the little gingerbread cookies and sprinkles on top.

Easy recipe: This holiday recipe couldn’t be easier since it’s made in a sheet pan and stays in the sheet pan until you serve it. It’s easy to bake, assemble, and decorate.

Feeds a crowd: You can feed up to 16 people so this makes a great dessert for a party or any time theres a large gathering.

Portable: Since this is made in a sheet pan, you can easily transfer it any where. Cover it loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap.

Gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting.

key ingredients

All-purpose flour: Spoon and level the flour when measuring it. Be sure not to scoop it out of the bag using the measuring cup. This way, you won’t accidentally measure out too much.
Baking soda: Used as a leavening agent.
Butter: Bee sure the butter is at room temperature and slightly softened.
Molasses: Adds moisture and sweet and warm flavors of gingerbread.
Sugars: We use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar and granulated sugar to add the perfect amount of sweetness.
Egg: You’ll need two large eggs at room temperature.
Spices: We use ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to give all the gingerbread flavors.
Cream cheese frosting: Powdered sugar, butter, cinnamon, cream cheese, vanilla extract and milk.
Mini Gingerbread Men Cookies: Adding these to the top is optional but I think it makes this extra festive. You can make your own or use your favorite gingerbread cookies from the store.
Christmas sprinkles: Adds color and fun!

Ingredients to make gingerbread cake recipe.

how to make gingerbread cake

Prepare baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Beat wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add molasses, egg, and vanilla.

Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine: Slowly pour in the hot water and stir until smooth (batter will be thin).

Bake cake: Pour the cake batter onto the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool.

Make cream cheese frosting: In the meantime, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until fluffy and no lumps remain. Turn the mixer on low and beat in 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar, vanilla and cinnamon until combined and desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thick, add milk, if it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Frost cake and enjoy: Swirl frosting on top of the cooled cake and add gingerbread cookies and sprinkles. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Frosting gingerbread cake with cream cheese frosting.

recipe tips

Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. This will ensure a smooth and velvety batter and the ingredients will incorporate easily.
Topping ideas: Rainbow sprinkles (to celebrate a birthday), chocolate chips, crushed graham crackers, crushed gingersnaps, chopped nuts, toffee pieces, sugared cranberries, or mini marshmallows.
Add crunch: Add a handful of your favorite mixed nuts to add a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Peanuts, honey roasted peanuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, candied walnuts, and hazelnuts are great options.
Make sure not to over-bake the cake. Every oven is different, so the bake time will be different.

variations

Gingerbread Cupcakes: Bake the batter in a muffin tin and bake for only 15-20 minutes.
Layered Gingerbread Cake: Bake the cake in two round or square baking pans instead of a 9×13 inch pan. You will have to increase the baking time 5-10 minutes.
Frosting: Swap the cream cheese frosting for a vanilla frosting, buttercream, chocolate frosting, or omit the frosting completely. You could also dust the top with powdered sugar and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Gingerbread Latte Sheet Cake: Add 2 tablespoons of espresso powder to the dry ingredients to give this cake a delicious coffee flavor.
Gingerbread buttercream frosting: Add 1 tablespoon of molasses, 1 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg to the frosting to add more gingerbread flavor.

leftovers & storage

Leftovers: Store leftover cake in an airtight container or cover baking sheet with foil or plastic wrap. Store in a cool area for 2-3 days, then transfer to the refrigerator and store for 2 more days. The cake will start to dry out once it’s stored in the refrigerator.

Freeze: You can freeze unfrosted cake by wrapping the cooled unfrosted cake with plastic wrap, including the sheet pan, or cut into individual slices and wrap each slice, and then place in a heavy-duty ziplock bag or cover with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost: To defrost the unfrosted cake, let the cake thaw completely before frosting. Place cake in the refrigerator to sit overnight or sit out in the counter for at least 3 hours. Make frosting and enjoy.