This Muscovado Gingerbread Cake is a delicious fusion of deep molasses and warm spices that evoke the essence of holiday baking. Each moist slice boasts the unique caramel notes of Muscovado sugar, complemented by aromatic ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. It is topped with a luscious Salted Caramel Buttercream, and this cake offers a perfect balance of sweetness and a hint of salt, elevating every bite and making it perfect for any celebration or cozy gathering.
The Cake Slice Bakers are a group of dedicated bakers who all love cake. Each year we choose a new cake-centric cookbook and bake our way through it. Every month we are given 3 choices and on the 20th day of each month we reveal what we have chosen on our blogs. This month's choices were Muscovado Gingerbread Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream, Chocolate Stout Cake with Champagne Buttercream, and Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cheesecake. At this time of the year a spice cake is is one of my favorite treats to enjoy, so I choose the Gingerbread Cake.
I couldn't wait to try this cake as I love ginger and spices. As I was really short on time and getting used to a new oven, I decided to make the cake into cupcakes. I also took a shortcut on the frosting and made my usual cream cheese frosting and added some salted vanilla Torani syrup as the flavoring - so I can't comment on the caramel or the buttercream frosting listed below until I make the cake again. However, I can tell you about the amazing gingerbread cake. I know it looks like a long list of ingredients but once you have them measured out it is pretty smooth sailing. The flavor in this cake is absolutely delicious, full of warm fall/winter spices and the bite of ginger. It is the perfect afternoon treat on a cool fall afternoon. Although I am also a favor of cake in the morning, so I had a cupcake for breakfast - yum!
Muscovado Gingerbread Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Printer Friendly RecipeIngredients
Caramel ~
- 110g (½ cup, packed) dark brown sugar
- 85g (6 tablespoons) butter
- 60ml (¼ cup) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla paste or real vanilla extract
Cake ~
- 165g (¾ cup, packed) dark muscovado sugar
- 50g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
- 9g (1½ tablespoons) ground ginger
- 6g (1 tablespoon) fresh ginger, finely minced or grated
- 2g (1 tablespoon) orange zest (about 1 orange
- 6g (1 tablespoon) ground cinnamon
- 2g (1 teaspoon) ground cloves
- 2g (1 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- 2g (1 teaspoon) ground allspice
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 115g (8 tablespoons) butter, softened
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 170ml (¾ cup) sunflower or grapeseed oil
- 335ml (1 cup) unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 15ml (1 tablespoon) vanilla paste or real vanilla extract
- 440g (3¼ cups) all-purpose flour
- 10g (2 teaspoons) baking soda
- 6g (1 teaspoon) sea salt
- 240ml (1 cup) buttermilk, shaken and room temperature
Salted Buttercream ~
- 5 large egg whites
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 340g (24 tablespoons) butter, room temperature, cut into 24 pieces
- 90ml (⅓ cup) caramel (recipe above)
Preparation
Caramel ~
- Add the brown sugar and butter to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and turns a rich, deep caramel color.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream, turn up the heat to medium-high, and continue whisking until it reaches a boil.
- Reduce to medium heat for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla and set aside to cool.
- Chill in the fridge a bit and then bring closer to room temperature before using (this will allow it to become the correct consistency for the buttercream).
Cake ~
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (350℉).
- Spray two 20cm (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and line with parchment.
- In the bowl of a electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the muscovado sugar, granulated sugar, ground ginger, fresh ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom and run the mixer on low to combine (you can get in there and massage the ginger, spices, and zest into the sugar if your feeling it).
- Add the butter and run the mixer on medium for 4-5 minutes or until light and fluffy (the muscovado won't make it as light as if it were just regular sugar, but it should have some fluff to it).
- With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is well blended before adding the next.
- Periodically scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that everything is incorporated.
- With the mixer on low, stream in the oil and then the molasses and vanilla.
- Take the bowl out of the mixer and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Alternate adding the flour and the buttermilk to the sugar mixture in two batches, mixing each until combined.
- Divide evenly between the prepared pans, tapping on the counter to release any trapped air bubbles and smoothing the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a wooden spoon.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes or until puffed and the center bounces back when gently pressed.
- Set the pans on a cooling rack and, after 10 minutes, run a knife around the edges and turn the cakes out onto the rack to cool completely. Discard the parchment.
Salted Buttercream ~
- add the egg whites and sugar to the clean bowl of an electric stand mixer and nestle in a saucepan of simmering water over medium-high heat - do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water.
- Whisk until the mixture is thick and frothy, the sugar is melted (rub some between two fingers; if it feels gritty, keep whisking) and it is hot to the touch. This should take about 5 minutes - ideally you want it to reach 70℃ (160℉).
- Remove the bowl from the heat and transfer it to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and add the cream of tartar and the salt.
- Mix on medium-high speed until stiff and glossy and cool to the touch, about 10 minutes (don't rush it - make sure the meringue is quite stiff and very cool, also make sure the bowl is cool to the touch as well )you can stash it in the fridge for 5 minutes to help cool it down).
- With the mixer on medium add the butter one piece at a time, letting each fully blend before adding the next.
- Take the bowl out of the mixer and fold in the caramel until you see streaks of caramel throughout, and it's not completely blended.
Assembly ~
- Place one cake upside down on a cake plate and cover with an ample amount of frosting.
- Place the second layer over the top, right side up, and cover with the remaining frosting.
- Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to make all of the swoops and swirls.
- Serve the remaining caramel on the side.
Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the links below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details.
The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book.
It is a new year and a new book - The Cake Book: Beautiful Sweet Treats for Every Craving - and our choices for October 2024 were ~
Muscovado Gingerbread Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Dulce de Leche Pumpkin Cheesecake
- No one from the group choose this cake to bake
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