Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread cake

A gingerbread cake is more than just a dessert; it's a culinary experience filled with memories, traditions and joyful moments spent with loved ones. This recipe combines the warm, comforting flavor of sweet gingerbread with the deliciousness of fine cream to create a cake that becomes the star of Christmas parties and beyond. Whether you make it to spoil your family or impress your guests, this cake will make any festive meal a memorable moment.

Preparation Time
- Preparation time: 60 minutes
- Baking Time: 30 minutes
- Rest Time: 2 hours (for gingerbread dough) + 30 minutes (for assembled cake)
- Total: Approximately 3 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 12 portions

Ingredients

For the Sweet Cake
- 5 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons spices (cinnamon, ginger powder, pepper, ground cloves, ground anise, ground anise, nutmeg)
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 220 g butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 beaten egg (for greasing)
- 1 cup honey
- Vanilla essence (to taste)

For the Ginger Cake Glaze
- 1 egg white (about 36 g)
- 300 g powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 tablespoon food starch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the cake
- 8 eggs
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (optional)

For the Mocha Cream
- 1 package butter (at room temperature)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- Vanilla essence (to taste)
- 3 tablespoons espresso
- 1 tablespoon cocoa

For Ornamentation
- 500 ml whipped cream for decorating
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut

Preparation of the sweet cake

1. Mixing the Ingredients Lightly: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, spices, coffee powder and cocoa. These ingredients will form the flavorful base of the gingerbread.

2. Beat the Butter: In another bowl, beat the butter with the sugar for 5-10 minutes, until fluffy and light in color. A good technique is to use an electric mixer to get an airy texture.

3. Adding the Eggs: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. This will help create a smooth emulsion.

4. Incorporating the Honey: Add the honey and vanilla essence, continuing to mix to combine the ingredients.

5. Forming the Dough: Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Knead the dough until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Preparing the Cake Batter

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 170°C. An essential step to ensure even baking.

2. Separating the Eggs: Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.

3. Incorporating the Sugar: Add the sugar gradually, a tablespoon at a time, continuing to beat until completely dissolved.

4. Adding the Yolks and Oil: Incorporate the yolks and oil, mixing gently with a spatula.

5. Mixing in the Flour: Sift the flour together with the baking powder (if using) and gently fold it into the mixture.

6. Baking the Blattes: Pour the mixture into two buttered baking pans lined with baking paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm to the touch. Check with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, the cookies are done.

Assembling the cake

1. Syrupping the Cakes: Once the cupcakes have cooled, you can drizzle them with a simple syrup of water and sugar to keep them moist.

2. Making the Mocha Cream: Mix the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Add espresso, cocoa and vanilla essence, continuing to mix until smooth.

3. Filling the Cake: Place one cake top on a platter, top with a generous dollop of mocha cream, then place the second top on top.

4. Decorating the Cake: Whip the whipped cream until stiff and use to decorate the cake. Carefully place the gingerbread cases on the cake, then sprinkle coconut on top for a festive effect.

Decorating the cake

1. Cutting the Shapes: After the gingerbread dough has been in the fridge, divide it into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface. Make sure the thickness is even.

2. Creating the Houses: Use a cardboard box to cut out the necessary shapes: 2 rectangular wall, 2 fronts with a door and 2 rectangles for the roof of the house.

3. Baking: Place the shapes on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 15 minutes at 175°C, rotating the tray halfway through.

4. Decorate with Glaze: Once the cupcakes have cooled, decorate them with the glaze made from egg whites, powdered sugar, starch and lemon juice. Use a pos or paper cones to apply the icing in beautiful patterns.

Practical tips

- For an even more intense flavor: Add extra spices or even pieces of nuts or candied fruit to the mocha cream.
- Keeping fresh: Gingerbread cake keeps great in the fridge and the flavors intensify as it sits in the fridge.
- Variations: You can adapt the gingerbread recipe by adding ingredients such as chocolate or dried fruit to give it a different twist.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use other types of flour?
Yes, whole-wheat flour or almond flour can add an interesting flavor, but be sure to adjust the amounts of liquid.

2. How can I make the icing last longer?
It's important not to leave the icing exposed to air, so cover it with a damp tissue while you work.

3. Can the cake be made a few days in advance?
Absolutely, the cake keeps well and the flavors become even richer over time.

4. What drinks go well with this cake?
A cup of fruit tea or a cold lemonade are excellent combinations, but a mulled wine can also add flavor.

Personal note

This recipe is a part of our family tradition, and every bite brings back memories of times around the Christmas table. I encourage you to create your own memories with this gingerbread cake by adding personal touches, whether it's a special ingredient or a unique decoration. Enjoy!

Gingerbread: *Note: the dough yields about 50 small cookies; if you are using it for only 2-3 houses, you can reduce the quantities. In a bowl, mix the sifted flour, salt, baking soda, and spices. In another bowl, beat the butter with the sugar (5-10 min) until fluffy and light in color. Then add the eggs one by one, mixing until homogeneous after each addition. Next, add the honey and then the flour, kneading until homogeneous. The dough should be refrigerated for at least 2 hours (covered with plastic wrap), preferably overnight. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, knead each piece, and roll it out on a floured surface (see thickness in images). It is important to brush off the flour from the dough before cutting the pieces for the house (otherwise they will remain white and unsightly after baking). Cut the pieces for the houses (2 rectangular walls, 2 fronts with a cut-out door, and 2 rectangles that are 1-1.5 cm longer than the walls for the roof). Draw the house model on a cardboard, cut it out, and use it to cut the gingerbread cookies. After cutting the cookies, place them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then transfer them to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the baking time. Remove them to a cooling rack and brush them, while warm, with a beaten egg mixed with a little water for shine. The cookies can be decorated 1-2 days after baking. For the icing, mix all the ingredients (the dry, sifted ones) with a mixer for at least 5 minutes, increasing the speed, then put the icing in a piping bag or paper cones. To glue the pieces of the houses, you need thicker icing, while for decorating, it should be a little softer (add a few drops of water or lemon juice) depending on the consistency of the powdered sugar. On a piece of parchment paper, stick the base of a front for stability. Then stick the walls to the fronts, let them sit a bit to set, and stick on the roofs. Once dry, decorate them. The icing can be kept in a bowl (and while you work) covered with a damp paper towel pressed against the surface of the icing as it dries very quickly. Enjoy! Cake Layers For the cake layers, I used my mother's basic recipe that never fails; the recipe is for 2 layers of 21 cm in diameter. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until all the sugar is dissolved, then add the yolks and oil, one by one. Switch from the mixer to a spatula and add the sifted flour with the spices and baking powder. Gently fold to combine. Pour the mixture into 2 greased and parchment-lined pans. Bake until the layer is firm and golden, testing with a toothpick. Let it cool in the oven with the door ajar, then turn it out onto a cooling rack. Before filling with cream, they can be soaked with simple sugar syrup. Mocha Cream Beat the butter with the sugar until soft and fluffy, then add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Assembly Soak the layers with simple sugar syrup (optional) and cover them with mocha cream. Place everything in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour while whipping the cream. Remove the cake, decorate with whipped cream, and carefully place the gingerbread houses on top, then sprinkle with coconut. Enjoy!

 Ingredients: For the Gingerbread 5 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 teaspoons spices (cinnamon, ground ginger, pepper, ground cloves, ground anise, nutmeg) 1 teaspoon instant coffee 1 tablespoon cocoa 1 teaspoon salt 220 g butter at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 beaten egg for brushing 1 cup honey Vanilla essence Gingerbread icing: 1 egg white (36g) 300 g sifted powdered sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon lemon juice For the Cake Base: 8 eggs 6 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons vanilla sugar 3 tablespoons oil 2 teaspoons baking powder (optional) For the Mocha Cream: 1 pack of butter at room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar Vanilla essence 3 tablespoons espresso 1 tablespoon cocoa For decoration: 500 ml whipped cream for decoration 2-3 tablespoons coconut