Gingerbread Cake With Cream Cheese Buttercream

In time for holiday baking, try this gingerbread cake with cream cheese buttercream. The gingerbread cake is simple to make, and the cream cheese buttercream whips up quickly. The cake is light and rich with spices, and the buttercream spreads easily over the cake when it is time to frost.

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream
Ingredients

For the Cake
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
3/4 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons ginger
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup milk

For the Buttercream Frosting
3 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
1 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Cream the butter and the sugar. Add the eggs, molasses, and the vanilla. Beat well.
2. Add the spices, baking powder, and the vanilla. Beat, then add the milk. Beat into a batter.
3. Into a buttered spring form pan, pour the batter.
4. Bake at 350 F for one hour. 

While the cake cools, prepare the buttercream.

1. Cream the butter and cream cheese together.
2. Over the bowl, sift the confectioner's sugar.
3. Beat the sugar and the creamed butter and cream cheese until smooth.
4. Add the vanilla and salt and continue to beat until aerated.

When the cake is cool, ice the cake. You may have some icing left over.