This gingerbread snack cake is a comforting and nostalgic treat, easy to make and deliciously frosted for the holidays.
Why We Love This Easy Gingerbread Snack Cake
There’s just something magical about gingerbread when the holidays roll around. This gingerbread snack cake checks every box — it’s easy, nostalgic, and just downright comforting. We love it because it brings all the warm spices of the season together in one ultra-soft, tender bite. Every forkful tastes like December wrapped in a blanket.
Another reason this cake gets a gold star? It’s completely fuss-free. No layering, no fancy equipment, no long prep time. Just mix, bake, frost, done. It’s the kind of cozy bake you can whip up on a weeknight but still proudly serve at a holiday party.
And thanks to the molasses, brown sugar, and buttermilk, the texture stays incredibly moist — even better the next day. Pair that with the brown butter buttercream (truly the holiday hero of frostings) and you’ve got a dessert that feels both nostalgic and elevated.
It’s nostalgic, it’s simple, it’s beautiful, and it hits that perfect balance of spice, sweetness, and comfort. What’s not to love?
Looking for more holiday recipes? Click here for lots of my favorites!
Key Ingredients for this Recipe
Eggs
The egg binds everything together and contributes to lift and structure so the cake doesn’t crumble. Use large, room temperature eggs
Molasses
The star of the show! Molasses gives gingerbread its dark color, chewy texture, and deep caramelized flavor. It’s non-negotiable. You may use light or dark molasses.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar deepens the flavor with molasses notes and keeps the cake soft and tender. It’s essential for that classic gingerbread taste.
Butter
Melted butter makes the cake rich and moist while giving it a velvety crumb.
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is a tenderizer, and makes baked goods so moist! The buttermilk helps to keep this gingerbread snack cake from drying out during baking.
Egg
Use a large egg at room temperature for this recipe
Confectioners’ sugar
You can sift the confectioners’ sugar or powdered sugar before making the buttercream, but it’s not entirely necessary
Vanilla Extract
Vanilla enhances all the spices and adds sweetness and warmth without overpowering the gingerbread flavor in this snack cake!
Spices
Cinnamon is the backbone of gingerbread flavor. It adds warmth, coziness, and that unmistakable holiday aroma. Ginger brings a little heat and brightness to balance the sweeter spices. It’s what gives gingerbread its signature “zing. Nutmeg adds depth and a nutty, slightly sweet aroma that rounds out the spice blend. Allspice brings a complex, clove-like warmth that ties everything together and amplifies the festive flavor profile.
Milk
Milk adds the perfect amount of moisture to the buttercream.
Flour
Flour gives the cake its structure. It forms the framework that holds all those cozy holiday flavors together while keeping the crumb soft and tender. All purpose flour is best for this cake recipe. Alternative flours will give you a different texture and result.
Additional ingredients
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
Step By Step Instructions To Make This Gingerbread Snack Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
In a large bowl, combine melted Anchor Dairy butter, buttermilk, molasses, sugar and egg. Stir to combine. You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.
Add vanilla, spices, baking soda and powder and salt. Mix well.
Add flour and mix until you can’t see any flour, using a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
Prepare an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper, spraying the sides not covered with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for frosting.
To make the brown butter
Heat a thick-bottomed sauce pan on medium heat. Add the butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter.
Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma.
Pour into a bowl immediately to stop the butter from cooking further and burning. Set aside until it cools to room temperature.
Additional Recipes to Try
Easy Christmas Tree Cookies – these cute Christmas tree cookies are frosted with fluffy buttercream for a festive holiday treat!
Pfeffernusse Cookies – these Holiday Cookies taste just like Christmas! They are easy to make, and will be a family favorite for years!
Christmas Sangria– Serve this festive cocktail throughout the holiday season.
FAQ and Expert Tips
Don’t overmix! You don’t want to over work your batter, or your cake will be tough.
Keep Anchor Dairy butter at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients combine and homogenize best at room temperature, and provide an evenly textured bake. Additionally, if you use cold butter for buttercream, it will end up lumpy.
Optional Piping tips to achieve this look: I used a Wilton 1M and 2A and Ateco 849 for the piping on this cake
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Print
Gingerbread Snack Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For Gingerbread Cake
1 1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 cup Anchor Dairy butter, melted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
For Brown Butter Buttercream
12 oz softened butter, separated
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine melted Anchor Dairy butter, buttermilk, molasses, sugar and egg. Stir to combine.
- Add vanilla, spices, baking soda and powder and salt. Mix well.
- Add flour and mix until you can’t see any flour, using a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Prepare an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper, spraying the sides not covered with cooking spray. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for frosting.
To make the brown butter:
- Heat a thick-bottomed sauce pan on medium heat. Add cubed 4 oz butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter.
Once melted the butter will foam up a bit, then subside. Watch carefully as lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. - Pour into a bowl immediately to stop the butter from cooking further and burning. Set aside until it cools to room temperature.
To make the buttercream:
- Combine sifted powdered sugar, browned butter, softened butter and milk in the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Using the paddle attachment, beat butter, powdered sugar and milk on low speed for 30 seconds and then high speed for 5 minutes.
- Add vanilla and turn mixer to low and mix for another 30 seconds.
Frost cake with buttercream and slice to serve.
Notes
- Don’t overmix! You don’t want to over work your batter, or your cake will be tough.
- Keep Anchor Dairy butter at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients combine and homogenize best at room temperature, and provide an evenly textured bake. Additionally, if you use cold butter for buttercream, it will end up lumpy.
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