Gingerbread House Gingerbread Cake
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This delicious gingerbread cake, shaped like a gingerbread house, is as delicious as it is festive!
For years I had wanted to make a gingerbread house during the holidays. I thought it would be the assembly-required kind, but then I stumbled across these Nordicware gingerbread house bundt pans. (You can find the large one HERE and the mini ones HERE.)
Sidenote: I actually made this gingerbread cake a few years ago for my friends at HomeGoods. However, I wanted this recipe to have a place here on Inspired by Charm.
Anywho, you know I love my speciality cake pans. Remember how much fun I had with with a skull cake pan for Halloween and the beehive cake pan for Spring? I knew I had to give this Gingerbread House Cake a try for Christmas. So that’s what I did.
I also made this Gingerbread Christmas Tree Cake last year. It’s so cute!
Using a gingerbread cake recipe loaded with seasonal spices, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger, I baked a beautiful Gingerbread House Cake. And because one house looked a little lonely, I made two smaller houses to create my very own gingerbread village.
How do you make a Gingerbread Cake?
First, prepare your cake according to the Gingerbread House Cake recipe below. It’s simple to make, but if you prefer, you can use a gingerbread mix.
Next, generously coat the inside of the bundt pan with baking spray. (This type of spray includes oil and flour.) This is essential for easily removing the cake from the pan.
Then, pour the cake batter in the pan and bake for an hour. Because ovens vary, be sure to test your cake for doneness. To do this, insert a wooden skewer in the center. If the cake is fully baked, the skewer will come out clean.
After the cake has cooled, use a serrated knife to level off the bottom so the gingerbread house sits nicely on your cake stand. Now it’s time to decorate.
How to Decorate a Gingerbread Cake:
Whip up My Favorite Cream Cheese frosting recipe and add a drop or two of green coloring to it. With a star tip on a piping bag, frost each of the trees. Then lightly sift confectioner’s sugar over the cake. Make sure the sugar catches on the details of the house so it has a snow-covered look
To further decorate your village, add sugared cranberries (The directions for making them are here.) and holiday cake decorations, such as mini gingerbread men and candy canes.
I love how the gingerbread house cake turned out. By itself or as part of a village, this is a holiday table decoration that tastes delicious. When you’re ready, just slice and serve. Although the cake is yummy on its own, I recommend serving it with leftover cream cheese frosting.
Want more holiday dessert recipes? Try these:
- Gingerbread Tree Cake
- Cranberry Pecan Pie
- Cream Wafter Cookies – my favorite!
- Festive Yule Log
- Cream Horns (Lady Locks)
And now for the recipe.
Gingerbread House Cake
Ingredients
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups molasses
- 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
For garnish:
- Cream cheese frosting, sugared cranberries, confectioner's sugar, and holiday cake decorations.
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the inside of the gingerbread cake pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time; then mix in the molasses.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and begin to incorporate them. Then, add the hot brewed coffee. Finally, mix in the other half of the dry ingredients until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a wood skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then, invert the pan onto a wire rack. Gently remove the cake from the pan and allow to cool completely.
- Once cool, level off the bottom of the cake with a serrated knife. Decorate with cream cheese frosting (tinted green), sugared cranberries, holiday frosting decorations, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Serve with additional cream cheese frosting, if desired.
Notes
So beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
Wow, that’s a ton of molasses! I’d like to try a whole bunch of the gingerbread cake recipes — including yours — and line them up to figure out preferences of the people who I serve bakes to. The budget for all that molasses is the big thing that’s holding me back!
I made your recipe for Christmas and it was excellent thank you!
Hi. I used the recipe on the package and my cake breaks on the bottom. Any idea why?
This is an absolutely delicious recipe…..thank you so much for sharing…….i used the nordicware pan with 6 mini houses and this recipe made 12 houses with enough that spilled over the top to use for a little tasty treat. I’ve already shared with the recipemwith several. Delicious and your tips on baking in the nordicware pans was spot on.
Thank you!!
For so many years now, I’ve made an eggnog Christmas tree cake for Christmas morning snacking during gift opening. But now I’m a grandma, which is my excuse for splurging on the adorable smaller duet pans, which I eagerly await. This year it’s going to be gingerbread houses! My question is, will your recipe be enough for the two small cakes? Thank you… I’ve really been enjoying your site!
Looks divine!!! Any substitution recommendations for the coffee in your recipe? Thanks!
Hi David – Just checking…3 and 3/4 cups of flour is correct? (Not 2 and 3/4 cups?) Looking forward to trying this recipe; just ordered my pan today. Thanks so much!
Yes – 3 3/4 cups. My recipe is different than the one on the package. 🙂
xo Michael
Thank you for confirming! Take care!
Thank you so much for posting this again Michael . I just purchased my cake pans and can’t wait to make these adorable houses 🙂
Michael, Thank you for sharing your great gingerbread house ideas. You’ve made it look doable! I’m looking forward to making this for Christmas this year. I ‘m thinking of also making a chocolate one.
another great entertaining idea, love it and thank you!
Wow! This is so cool! I’ve always wanted to make a gingerbread house but it seemed so time consuming. This fits the bill nicely. I think I would sprinkle on some sanding sugar for a little sparkle. Another lovely presentation, Michael. You never fail to impress.
I love those houses! They came out adorable. I bet it would look cute if you used cotton candy to make it look like smoke coming out of the chimney.
YES!! Such a great idea!!
xo Michael
Except, cotton candy lasts about 10 minutes and then it melts into a soggy mess 😉