
Ingredients
Salted caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp. salted butter, room temperature cut up into 6 pieces
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp. salt
Gingerbread Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar lightly packed
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 3/4 cup buttermilk room temperature
Caramel Buttercream
- 1.5 cups butter
- 7 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup caramel sauce
- 2 tbsp. heavy cream
Gingerbread Streusel
- 1 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Salted caramel
- Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
Gingerbread Cake
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease and flour three 6" cake rounds, line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth. Add sugars and beat on med-high until pale and fluffy (2-3mins).
- Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add molasses and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition. Do not overmix.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula.
- Bake for approx. 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool completely.
Caramel buttercream
- Place butter in mixer fitted with paddle attachment.
- Whip butter on high until fluffy.
- Slowly add powdered sugar one cup at a time until mixed well.
- Slowly add caramel sauce.
- If too think add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
Gingerbread streusel
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Place cookie crumbs and melted butter into a medium bowl, stir until it just starts to clump. Spread out on prepared baking sheet and bake for 8-10mins.
- Cool completely before using on cake. Break up crumble if needed.