Gingerbread Sheet Cake

Spiced gingerbread sheet cake topped with swirls of vanilla mascarpone frosting and sugared cranberries makes the perfect holiday sheet cake!

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This simple and delicious cake bakes up soft and tender, the perfect blend of cozy, warming spices. Sweet and creamy vanilla frosting makes a dreamy finish to this easy cake!

Gingerbread Sheet Cake Success

• Bring all of your cake ingredients to room temperature before beginning. When your butter, molasses, eggs, Greek yogurt and buttermilk are all at room temperature, they mix together uniformly.
• A blend of spices gives this gingerbread cake the best flavor – I like cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Bake cake until the top is set and springs back to the touch. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
• While the cake bakes, make the sugared cranberries for the topping. The sparkling cranberries add a festive touch!
• Vanilla mascarpone frosting makes a delicious counterpoint to the spiced cake! You can also use cream cheese in the frosting. Once the cake is cool, use an offset spatula to swirl frosting over the top. Chill the frosted cake for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Gingerbread Sheet Cake

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• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 28 minutes
• Total Time: 58 minutes
• Yield: 12 to 15 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Spiced gingerbread sheet cake topped with swirls of vanilla mascarpone frosting and sugared cranberries makes the perfect holiday sheet cake!

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup molasses, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature

Sugared Cranberries

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until pale and fluffy; beat in vanilla and molasses until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine Greek yogurt and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
3. Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
4. While the cake bakes, make the sugared cranberries. Place a wire rack over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add cranberries to the saucepan and coat completely in the simple syrup. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cranberries to the wire rack. Separate the cranberries into a single layer, spaced 1-inch apart. Let dry for 1 hour, then roll the cranberries in sugar to coat. Transfer to a clean baking sheet and let dry for 1 hour before using.
5. For the frosting, beat butter, mascarpone, and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Mix in powdered sugar on low speed 1 cup at a time until fully incorporated. Add milk and mix in on low speed until smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat frosting for 1 minute, until light and airy.
6. Dollop frosting over cooled cake and swirl with an offset spatula. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before slicing and serving topped with sugared cranberries.

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More holiday desserts you’ll love:

Vanilla Chai Sugar Cookie Bars
Soft Molasses Spice Cookies
Cranberry White Chocolate Cakes