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A sliced three-layer spice cake with cream cheese frosting and gingersnap cookies on a white cake stand, with a single slice on a plate in front.

Cozy Gingersnap Spice Cake Recipe (Bold Spice, Never Dusty)

Warm layers loaded with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and crushed gingersnap cookies, finished with tangy cream cheese frosting. This homemade gingersnap spice cake explains exactly why spice cake tastes flat and how to fix it.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 570
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Gingersnap Spice Cake Layers
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened, for creaming
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter for blooming the spices
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup molasses
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 5 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 3 9-inch round cake pans For the classic layer cake height
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer For creaming and frosting
  • 1 Small saucepan For blooming the spices in butter
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale For accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • 1 Cake turntable For even, professional frosting

Method
 

  1. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan, stir in the ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves, and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Cool completely to room temperature.
    A glass bowl containing melted butter infused with ground ginger, cinnamon, and cloves on a wooden countertop.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
    Three round cake pans greased, floured, and lined with parchment paper rounds on a wooden countertop.
  3. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
    A glass bowl containing measured dry ingredients including cake flour on a wooden countertop.
  4. In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter (3/4 cup) with the brown sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    A glass bowl containing creamed butter and brown sugar mixture on a wooden countertop
  5. Add the cooled spiced butter and the molasses, mixing until fully combined.
    A glass bowl containing the butter and sugar mixture with added spiced butter and dark molasses on a wooden countertop.
  6. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each.
    A glass bowl containing rich molasses and butter batter with eggs being incorporated on a wooden countertop.
  7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour.
    A glass bowl containing cake batter being mixed with alternating additions of flour mixture and buttermilk on a wooden countertop.
  8. Gently fold in the crushed gingersnap cookies by hand.
    A glass bowl containing spiced cake batter topped with crushed gingersnap cookie pieces on a wooden countertop.
  9. Divide the batter among the three pans and bake for 25 to 29 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Three round cake pans filled with spiced cake batter topped with cookie pieces, set on a wooden countertop.
  10. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    A stack of three baked spice cake layers cooling on a wire rack on a wooden countertop.
  11. Beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually, then mix in vanilla and salt until fluffy.
    A glass bowl containing smooth, whipped white cream cheese frosting on a wooden countertop.
  12. Frost between each layer, apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate for 20 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting and press extra gingersnaps onto the sides.
    A fully frosted three-layer spice cake decorated with whole and crushed gingersnaps on a white cake stand.
  13. Slice and serve, or refrigerate until ready to serve.
    A sliced three-layer spice cake on a cake stand with a single slice on a white plate next to a knife.

Notes

  • Bloom the ground spices in the small portion of melted butter, then cool it completely before adding it to the creamed mixture. Don't skip this part, it makes the biggest difference in the final flavor.
  • Keep the main portion of butter softened, not melted, so it can still be properly creamed for structure.
  • Check that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh, since stale leavening is a common cause of a flat, dense cake.
  • Fold the gingersnaps in at the end so they keep some texture.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.