Description
This Cozy Christmas Spice Cake features a rich gingerbread flavor with warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Moist and tender, it combines molasses and Greek yogurt for a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Ideal for holiday gatherings, this cake is easy to prepare and bakes to perfection in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup hot water or hot coffee
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round or square baking pan to prepare for the cake batter.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and nutmeg until thoroughly combined.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well to incorporate.
- Add molasses and yogurt: Stir in the molasses and plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) until the mixture is smooth and even.
- Combine with dry mix: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the hot water or hot coffee to the wet mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until the batter is smooth and homogeneous without overmixing.
- Bake: Pour the prepared batter into the greased pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean when the cake is ready.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool completely before dusting it with powdered sugar or topping it with your favorite glaze or frosting for serving.
Notes
- You can substitute hot coffee for hot water to enhance the cake’s depth of flavor.
- Use sour cream instead of Greek yogurt if preferred, both yield moist results.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender.
- Store leftovers wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- This cake pairs well with a simple glaze, cream cheese frosting, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas spice cake, gingerbread cake, holiday dessert, molasses cake, spiced cake
