Gingerbread Latte Cake
Richly spiced ginger cake with a hint of coffee, this layer cake is a nod to my favourite festive treat - the gingerbread latte!
Equipment
- 3x 8in/20cm sandwich/baking tins
Ingredients
Gingerbread Latte Cake
- 180 g butter softened/room temperature
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 50 g caster sugar
- 3 medium eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 160 ml black treacle/molasses
- 200 ml buttermilk room temperature
- 50 ml vegetable/sunflower oil
- 370 g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsp espresso powder
Spiced Coffee Frosting
- 300 g butter softened/room temperature
- 620 g icing sugar sifted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp espresso powder
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp milk
Instructions
Gingerbread Latte Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.
- Grease and line the base of three 8in/20cm sandwich/baking tins. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt and espresso powder until just combined. Set aside.
- Using a large bown and the paddle/beater attachment of your stand/hand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on high speed for 3 whole minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for a few seconds between each addition until combined.
- Add vanilla extract, treacle, buttermilk and vegetable/sunflower oil and beat on medium speed for around 30 seconds until all fully combined.
- Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Repeat with the remaining half of dry ingredients. Try not to overmix at this stage.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the three 8in/20cm tins
- Bake each on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for around 18-20 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Place tins on a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Spiced Coffee Frosting
- Using the paddle/beater attachment of your stand/hand mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter for 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
- With the mixer now on low speed, slowly add the sifted icing sugar to the butter 1 tbsp at a time. Once all incorporated it will look quite thick.
- Keep the mixer on low speed and add the vanilla extract, espresso powder, ginger, cinnamon, salt and milk.
- Once all combined, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for a full 5 minutes. Final mixture will be thick but light and smooth.
- Place in the fridge while you're waiting for the cake layers to cool completely before decorating the cake.
Assembling the cake
- Level the tops of the cakes with a knife or cake leveller.
- Place the first cake on your serving plate/board and pipe or spread 1/3 of the icing on top.
- Repeat with the second and third cake layer.
- The cake should keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
If you’ve tried this recipe, tag @bakerjoblog on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter and/or use #bakerjoblog!