Winter Wonderland Gingerbread Cake
 
 
For this icing I added a bit of my aquafaba swiss meringue buttercream to it, but this is an optional step. If you prefer straight up cream cheese icing go for it!
Serves: serves 10 people
Ingredients
  • For the Gingerbread Cookie Dough
  • All Purpose Flour 3 cups (390g)
  • Baking Soda 1 teaspoon (5g)
  • Ground Cinnamon 1 teaspoon (2g)
  • Ground Ginger 1 teaspoon (2g)
  • Pumpkin Pie Spice ½ teaspoon (2g)
  • Salt ½ teaspoon (3g)
  • Black Pepper ¼ teaspoon
  • Vegan Butter ½ cup (113g)
  • Light Brown Sugar ½ cup packed (105g)
  • Molasses ⅔ cup (226g) (158ml)
  • Ground Flax Seeds 1 Tablespoon (8g)
  • Hot Water 2 Tablespoons
  • Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon (5ml)
  • For the Gingerbread Cake:
  • Vegan Butter 1 stick (113g)
  • Light Brown sugar 1 cup (210g)
  • Ground Flax Seeds 1 Tablespoon (8g)
  • Warm Water 3 Tablespoons (45ml)
  • Hot water 1 cup (237ml) *approximately 140° F
  • Molasses 1¼ cup (425g) (300ml)
  • Baking Soda 1 teaspoon (5g)
  • Baking Powder 1 teaspoon (5g)
  • Salt ½ teaspoon (3g)
  • Ground Ginger 2 teaspoons (3.5g)
  • Ground Cloves ¼ teaspoon (.5g)
  • Ground Cinnamon 1½ teaspoon (3g)
  • All Purpose Flour 2 ½ cups (325g)
  • Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 2 Tablespoons (12g)
  • For the Vegan Cream Cheese Icing:
  • Vegan Cream Cheese 2 Tubs (2cups) (454g)
  • Vegan Butter 1 stick (½ cup) (112g)
  • Confectioner's Sugar 2 cups (240g)
  • Vanilla Extract 1 teaspoon
  • Vegan Buttercream 1 cup *optional
Instructions
  1. For the gingerbread cookie dough:
  2. Combine ground flax seed with hot water and whisk smooth
  3. Let stand for at least 5 minutes to thicken to a paste
  4. Sift the flour with the baking soda and all of the spices and the salt and pepper, set aside.
  5. Cream the vegan butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy about 4-5 minutes,
  6. Add the molasses to the creamed butter mixture and mix well, scrape the sides of the bowl and then add the flax paste and vanilla extract.
  7. Add the sifted flour mixture while blending on low speed, mix until it is all incorporated evenly.
  8. Turn out the entire dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap.
  9. Wrap the dough tightly and press into a disc.
  10. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight before rolling.
  11. Once out of the fridge you must re-roll this dough.
  12. Mash it all together and knead it back together, then RE-roll on a floured work surface until it is pliable.
  13. Cut your shapes, and place on a parchment lined sheet pan.
  14. Preheat the oven to 350° F, you will bake for approximately 12-18 minutes or until light golden brown. It is difficult to say how long exactly – as I do not know what shapes you are cutting or to what thickness you desire
  15. For the Cake Batter:
  16. Combine ground flax seed with hot water and whisk smooth
  17. Let stand for at least 5 minutes to thicken to a paste
  18. In the meantime, cream the softened vegan butter with the light brown sugar on medium -high speed until very light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
  19. Scrape bowl periodically to ensure even mixing
  20. Sift together all the dry ingredients from the baking powder to the cocoa powder and reserve.
  21. Add the molasses to the hot water and then add the baking soda to that. It will bubble up as the baking soda begins to activate. Stir to combine
  22. Add the flax paste to the creaming vegan butter and sugar mixture, and mix well.
  23. Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients, blend well
  24. Then add ½ of the molasses/water mixture slowly while mixing on low speed
  25. Stop and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl often
  26. Repeat the process with another ⅓ of the dry, the remaining liquids and then the last addition of dry ingredients
  27. Pour the batter into 2- 7" greased and parchment lined pans and bake immediately in preheated 350° F oven approximately 30 minutes or when they are springy to the touch when you gently press the centers.
  28. Cool the cake layers in the pan then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way while you prepare the cream cheese icing.
  29. For the Cream Cheese Icing:
  30. Smooth cream cheese and butter with a paddle attachment
  31. Add sifted confectioners sugar, blend on low just to combine
  32. Add extract then add optional vegan buttercream icing
  33. Mix smooth
Recipe by Gretchen's Vegan Bakery at https://www.gretchensveganbakery.com/gingerbread-cake/