Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

IT'S SNOWING!!!!!

The weather finally came through!! It's been snowing all morning, from dainty little flakes to big fat puffs. We were very bad influences out back, let Bracken off her leash to play, and gained a few like-minded friends. I don't think she's had that much fun in weeks!! Snow and friends?? All we're missing is peanut butter, and it would be the greatest day of her life! She was so fun to watch, slipping and sliding up and down the hill, and every so often she'd flop down and just roll in the snow. I don't know if there has ever been a dog that loved snow more than my beastie. I wish I'd gotten pictures. Well, what better for such a Christmassy day, than a festive Christmassy cake??

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (adapted from The View From Great Island)
Printable Recipe

1 cup boiling water
2 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup ground almonds/almond flour (or use more regular flour)
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the boiling water with the baking soda and set aside. Grease (well!!) and line a 10 inch springform pan. (This cake is sticky, grease the pan like crazy!)

Beat the butter until fluffy, add sugar, and beat till creamy. Add the molasses and water/baking soda mix.

Sift together dry ingredients and add them to the wet ingredients. Add eggs, beating after each. 

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, or with just a few crumbs. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Carefully remove cake from pan when ready to frost. (my edges were a bit high, my oven was too hot, so I trimmed them off)

Frosting:
1 8-oz. package cream cheese at almost room temperature (still pretty firm)
1/4 cup salted butter at almost room temperature
2-3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Zest from 1 lemon

Whip together the cream cheese, butter, zest, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and whip carefully until smooth and thick. Refrigerate any leftovers.

The original recipe has a spiced-rum buttercream, but cream cheese frosting is my favorite!! And adding a dash of lemon just made sense. Ginger and lemon, right?

Oh, this is a heavenly cake. Rich dark spices, so moist and toothsome, just a bit more substance with the almonds, everything gingerbread should be! Molasses, brown sugar, spices... did I mention molasses?? I love molasses!

And the creamy frosting with a hint of lemon is the perfect compliment. You could frost the sides as well, but I wanted to see that dark gingerbread underneath!

Are you ready for Christmas?? With a window full of falling snow, and a slice (or three) of this cake, I sure am!!

Shared at Wow Us Wednesdays and Foodie Friday