Gingerbread Cookie Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Gingerbread Cookie Cake is a festive treat that's as fun to make as it is to eat! My popular Gingerbread Cookie recipe gets a fun upgrade - we're baking it in a cake pan with colorful Christmas sprinkles until it's perfectly soft-baked! Then, it's topped with a silky maple cream cheese frosting and more sprinkles. Better make two - this is guaranteed to fly off the plate!
Servings: 8 to 16 slices
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature 226 grams
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed 220 grams
- 1/2 cup molasses do NOT use blackstrap but DO use full flavor (Brer Rabbit makes a full flavor one). 174 mL
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out 390 grams
- 2 and 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sprinkles plus a little extra for the top
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature 113 grams
- 1 and 1/4 cups powdered sugar plus an extra 1/4 cup, to taste if desired.
- 1-2 tbsp real maple syrup
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- extra sprinkles, for topping
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and secure the sides. Spray the inside with nonstick spray.
- Make the Cookie Dough: Beat softened butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until creamed, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed until well creamed together, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl well. Add the molasses and mix until combined. Scrape the sides & bottom of the bowl again. Add the dry ingredients and sprinkles, and mix until a dough forms. The dough may seem a bit dry at first, but it will come together with a little bit of mixing. Add 1-2 teaspoons of milk if it still seems a bit dry. (Don't be afraid to mix it for a good 1-2 minutes here.)
- Bake: Press the dough into your prepared pan in an even layer, and top with extra sprinkles. Bake for 15-19 minutes. The edges will appear set and the center will look just done or like it needs 1-2 more minutes. Do not over bake - it will set up perfectly as it cools! Tip: An instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the cake (but not touching the bottom of the pan) will register 175℉ to 180℉ - if it's around there, you're good!.)
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-20 minutes, then release and remove the sides. Let it cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting & Decorate: In a medium bowl, beat together all frosting ingredients except the cream cheese. Beat in the cream cheese last. Taste and add the extra 1/4 cup of powdered sugar or an additional tablespoon of maple syrup if desired. Pipe frosting onto the cooled dessert - I used a Wilton #32 star tip. Top with more sprinkles!
- Serve + Store: Slice & enjoy once decorated! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 792kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 527mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 72g | Vitamin A: 1160IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 4mg