Gingerbread with Spiced Rum Buttercream ~ a holiday dessert with all the bells and whistles of the old time ginger molasses cake, brought up to speed with a to-die-for spiced rum frosting.
My mother used to make a square gingerbread cake, I think it was probably from a box mix, and she always topped each piece with a little blob of redi-whip. I loved it, but I have to admit, this one is waaaaay better.
My version is earthy, luxurious, heavily spiced and enriched with a whole cup of molasses. Sometimes you’ll see this kind of gingerbread cake made with fresh ginger, but for some reason I prefer to use only the dried spices, the bite of the fresh ginger seems out of place to me. If you love that zesty flavor, then by all means grate some into this batter.
Most gingerbread cakes are served with a modest dusting of powdered sugar or, like my mom did, a dollop of whipped cream. I’ve stepped it up to include a generous layer of spiced rum buttercream which absolutely makes this cake spectacular. And yes, you can really taste the spiced rum!
The light is streaming through the window at a decidedly different angle these days, but Los Angeles is still in the throes of summer. I think we’re the last place in the country to get a whiff of fall. The thermometer read 105 yesterday.
1. 0. 5.
Send good thoughts our way, please.
In the meantime, I offer up the most wonderful, old-timey seasonal dessert, in hopes that it might appease whichever spirits are in charge of cool breezes, nips in the air, and chilly mornings. Just in case your good thoughts aren’t enough. I have to cover all my bases…
I loved this cake. And not just because cake is my weak spot. I could barely make it through a quick photo shoot. That first bite, the point, that bit that droops down under the weight of the frosting there, that’s the best part.
Here’s hoping for a cold front from the north!
Gingerbread with Spiced Rum Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup = 4 oz. / 1 stick
- 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
dry ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup fine ground almond flour, or use more all purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
spiced buttercream
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 3 Tbsp spiced rum
- 1 Tbsp milk , or cream (to thin frosting), or more as needed
Instructions
- Set oven to 350°F.
- Combine the boiling water with the baking soda and set aside.
- Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use an electric hand mixer and a medium mixing bowl.) Beat the butter until fluffy, then add the sugar and beat well to combine.
- Add the molasses and the water/baking soda mixture.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl or on a piece of parchment paper, sift together dry ingredients. Add them to the bowl of wet ingredients and mix on low speed to combine.
- Pour batter into a well greased pan. *NOTE: This recipe makes enough batter for a 9x12 rectangle baking pan, but I wanted to use my 9" round springform pan, so I had enough batter left to make 6 cupcakes. Go either way, but be sure to grease up your pan well, this cake is sticky.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes for the rectangle, and a little longer for a springform pan, 40-45 minutes. Cupcakes will take about 14 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack before topping cake with frosting.
- To make the frosting, blend the soft butter and sugar with a wooden spoon.
- Add the rum and then the milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time, beating well, until the frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.
Nutrition
Other gingerbread treats to try ~
Ohhh I love gingerbread and that frosting must put it over the top. We used to have gingerbread with raisins and always on the table with fried chicken. Go figure. Out temps were down to 29F at 5am this am…..wish I could send some your way. Can’t wait to make this one.
Gingerbread and fried chicken sounds amazing, I love it when I hear of something like that, that I’ve never heard of. Now I have to look it up, you’ve piqued my curiosity.
This cake looks so incredibly moist. I love the spiced buttercream frosting too. Great recipe and perfect for the fall and Thanksgiving dessert table. I’m printing this.
Yep, that whole cup of molasses takes care of the moist part for sure! I think it would be beautiful for the holidays, in fact I kicked myself that I didn’t photograph it with some sugared cranberries on top. But the rustic look was nice, too. The frosting was soooo good.
I love gingerbread! This recipe looks like it produces a substantial g’bread which is the best kind.
In exchange for the recipe, I’m prepared to offer you a package deal containing one week of fall weather and one week of -40 February weather! You don’t have to thank me – I’m just glad to share (;-D
Deal!
I’d go to this old school anytime! Love the smell of cakes with spices. Can I just come over and sniff it for a while?
This country is just too darn big! Wish I lived next door.
Looks delicious. One question: does the cake call for 2 or 4 eggs total? Your recipe lists “2 eggs” in two areas, but in the earlier listing (with the butter, sugar and molasses) there is no mention of actually incorporating 2 eggs. Thanks
Thank you so much for spotting that error, I really do rely on careful readers to alert me 🙂 I fixed it in the recipe, there are only 2 eggs.
OOh all these fall looking desserts look fabulous. I was just checking out Amy’s pumpkin bread and then clicked over here and saw your gingerbread cake. I love using molasses in baking! Love, love!
Don’t you wish we could be taking a bite of everything as we clicked from blog to blog? Sometimes I have to stop reading because I can’t take the constant frustration!
Mmm, I’m having lunch right now, and I’d love a slice before the students come in!!! Looks delicious! I’ll bet your home smelled heavenly while it was baking!
I think this would be good as frosted cupcakes, too. Then you could bring some in for your students!
Ohhh I make a gingerbread cake that I like, but it’s more of a “snacking cake,” if you know what I mean. With that cup of molasses, this looks dark and deep. Can’t wait to make this later in the year. And in the meantime, I hope LA gets a little chillier.
The kind my mom made was more of a snacking cake, too, it was lighter in color. Still good, just different. I’m really rediscovering gingerbread flavors lately, but I’m not a huge fan of the cookies.
oooooooh my goodness! That cake sounds heavenly. I’m so sorry about your weather. My fall baking has benefited from the fact that I am in a much cooler area than you are right now. A friend in Phoenix mentioned that they are well over 100 still and I just kept my mouth shut. Not to jinx it or anything, but the 50s felt incredibly chilly at oh-dark-thirty this morning. I just might cry when we head back to the heat in AZ week after next! Here’s hoping and wishing and praying cooler weather will find you SOON!
I forgot you are still away—lucky timing! Enjoy it!
Looks great! But I don’t know what spiced rum is? Alcohol, or a spice?
Spiced rum is a type of rum, naturally flavored with spices. You could also use plain rum, or plain rum and a little bit of the spices from the cake.