Gingerbread Cake with Candied Cranberries and Cream Cheese Frosting

The holidays always have a way of getting me back in the kitchen. Something about this time of year has me wanting to bake up a storm and break out the fancy dishes. Ok maybe not the fancy dishes part but I’ve definitely been logging a few more hours in the kitchen lately. I’ve always loved gingerbread so I decided that this year it was about time to go all out and make a cake!

Gingerbread Cake with Candied Cranberries and Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe adapted from Call Me Cupcake

 

Ingredients:

Gingerbread Spice- this will make more than you need:

4 teaspoons ground ginger

4 teaspoons cinnamon

3 teaspoons ground cardamom

3 teaspoons fresh ground cloves

1 teaspoon dried orange zest

 

For the cake:

1 cup all purpose flour

4 teaspoons gingerbread spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of kosher salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 stick + 1 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

1 cup + 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup whole milk

 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup powdered sugar

8 ounces of cream cheese

 

For the Candied Cranberries:

1 cup fresh cranberries

1 egg white

1/4 cup of granulated sugar

 

For the Cake:

1. Whisk together flour, gingerbread spice, baking soda and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. About 3 minutes.
3. Melt butter and let cool for a few minutes.
4. Add corn syrup, honey and butter to eggs & sugar. Beat until smooth, about one minute.
5. Add whole milk and cream to mixture and beat until just blended.
6. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat on slow for two minutes. Note: the batter will be thin. Thin batters make a moister cake.
7. Pour batter into two 9 inch round baking pans sprayed with non-stick spray or buttered and floured.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until it passes the knife test. Let cool completely.

 

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Let butter soften. Then beat on medium high until it becomes lighter in color, about two minutes.
2. Add 1 1/4 cups powered sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy.
3. Add 8 ounces of cream cheese and beat until just smooth.

 

For the Candied Cranberries:

1. Dip cranberries into egg white. Set on a paper towel to dry for a few minutes.
2. Then roll into granulated sugar. If you do not allow the wash to dry a little then the sugar will clump.

 

Assembly:

1. Spread frosting between cake layers. Then all over. Put cake in freezer for 5-7 minutes to let frosting set.
2. Spread an additional layer of frosting all around the cake.
3. Garnish with candied cranberries and a spring of spruce or rosemary.