Gingerbread House Cake
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Gingerbread house cake: a warmly spiced two-layer gingerbread cake filled with cream cheese frosting and candy, then decorated like a gingerbread house. All the festive fun without the structural engineering.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
60 minREADY
75 minAll the charm of a gingerbread house with none of the collapsing walls or royal-icing meltdowns. This gingerbread cake delivers the same warm, spicy flavor in a form kids can actually help build and, more importantly, eat.
The cake is fragrant with ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, sweetened with brown sugar and kept moist by a half cup of applesauce. Whole-wheat flour gives it a slightly heartier, more wholesome crumb.
Bake it, cool it, then split it into two layers and sandwich them with tangy cream cheese frosting, tucking a layer of M&Ms in the middle.
Then comes the fun part. Slather the top with more frosting and decorate with candies and little gingerbread cookies until the whole thing reads as a cheerful, edible gingerbread house. A festive project the whole family can pile around.
Kitchen Tips
- Beat the eggs in one at a time, fully incorporating each, so the batter stays smooth and emulsified.
- Stir the dry ingredients in just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten and toughens the cake.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cake melts cream cheese frosting into a slick.
- Keep the frosted cake at room temperature only until serving; for longer storage, refrigerate so the cream cheese frosting stays safe.
Variations
- Use all-purpose flour for a lighter, more tender crumb if whole wheat feels too dense.
- Swap the M&Ms for crushed peppermint, gumdrops, or mini chocolate chips to match your candy stash.
Ingredients
such as you would use for making a gingerbread house. You could also use small gingerbread cookies, to taste *
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and spices.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until creamy.
Add vanilla and mix well.
Add eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition.
Sift the dry ingredients, then stir into the butter mixture just until incorporated.
Add the applesauce; stir.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and even out the top.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan by gently turning it upside-down onto a wire rack.
Allow to cool thoroughly.
Meanwhile, prepare frosting.
In a mixing bowl, beat toghether the butter and cream cheese until creamy.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and milk and continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and homogenous.
Keep at room temperature until time to serve.
Just before serving, slice cake in half so that you have two 9×9-inch slices.
Place the bottom half on a serving plate.
Top with 1 cup frosting, spead evenly over the top.
Sprinkle with M&Ms.
Place other half of cake on top, then top it with the remaining frosting.
Decorate cake with candies so that it looks somewhat like a gingerbread house.
Comments
I still have all the cardboard house shapes from a McCall's gingerbread church in McCall's Magazine from about 1967 but had lost the dough recipe. This one looks similar. Each of my three sons got a "church" on his third Christmas. Fond memories.