A deep, dark gingerbread bundt cake with a tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for the holidays or for any time in winter when you need some comfort.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutesminutes
Cook Time 50 minutesminutes
Total Time 1 hourhour35 minutesminutes
Author katiebirdbakes.com
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
1cupstout beer(oatmeal or Guinness)
1cupmolasses(ideally, not blackstrap, although I used it and the flavor did not suffer)
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
2cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoonbaking powder
2tablespoon (yes, tbsp)ground ginger
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonground cloves
1/4teaspoonground nutmeg
1/8teaspoonground cardamom
3largeeggs
1cupbrown sugar, packed
1cupgranulated sugar
3/4cupcanola oil
Cream Cheese Frosting
4ouncescream cheese, cold
4tbsp (1/2 stick)unsalted butter, room temperature
1cupconfectioner's (powdered) sugar
Pinchof salt
4-5tablespoonsmilk of choice
Cinnamon,for dusting (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Very generously butter a 12-cup bundt pan and set aside. Don't skip this - this is a very sticky cake.
In a large saucepan, bring stout and molasses to a boil. Remove from heat, whisk in baking soda (note it will begin bubbling vigorously), then cool for a few minutes (to just above room temperature, so you don't cook the eggs when you mix it in later).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and spices. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs and both sugars. Whisk in canola oil, then cooled molasses mixture. Finally, add the flour mixture and stir together (or fold with a spatula) until just combined.
Pour batter into the prepared bundt pan and tap it on the on counter a few times to eliminate air bubbles. Bake the cake until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes.
Cool cake COMPLETELY in pan on a rack. Run a butter knife or spatula along the outer and inner edges of the cake, and turn out onto a plate.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter until fully combined and fluffy. Beat in sugar and salt until fully combined. Add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting is still thick but pourable (it took about 5 tablespoons for me).
Pour frosting evenly over the cake. Dust with cinnamon, if desired. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days; this cake gets better as it sits. Bring to room temperature before eating.