Best Lemon Ginger Cake W Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipes

GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with a parchment round.
• Stir together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
• Combine the brown sugar and butter in another large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high speed, scraping down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined (it's fine if the mixture looks a little curdled).
• Stir the molasses into the boiling water in a large spouted measuring cup. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the molasses mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium and beat just until smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 22 to 27 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. Once cool, invert the cakes onto the rack, then peel off and discard the parchment.
• For the frosting: Combine the butter and cream cheese in a clean mixer bowl. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the confectioner's' sugar, beating until combined. Add the vanilla and gradually increase the speed to high. Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adding up to 1 tablespoon of milk if needed so the frosting is spreadable.
• Place one cake layer flat-side down on a cake stand or platter. Top with about 3/4 cup of the frosting, spreading almost to the edges using an offset spatula. Place the remaining cake layer on top, flat-side up. Spread the remaining frosting on the entire cake and smooth the top and sides with the offset spatula. Refrigerate the cake while you decorate the gingerbread cookies.
• For the decorations: Meanwhile, microwave the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl until just melted. (Alternatively, melt the chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; do not let bowl touch the water.) Let cool slightly and put into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip (or use a plastic ziptop bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe eyes and smiles on the gingerbread cookie faces.
• Arrange the merry gingerbread men side by side around the bottom edge of the cake, pressing in slightly to adhere. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the nonpareils.

MOIST GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH LEMON GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch springform cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, turbinado, ginger, zest of 1 lemon and oil. Beat in egg.
• Place beer, molasses and coffee in a deep pot, at least 3 quarts. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Mixture will bubble up. Allow to cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk flour mixture alternately with beer mixture into brown sugar mixture, in 3 shifts. Pour batter in pan and bake 40 minutes without opening oven. Give pan a 180-degree turn and bake another 15 minutes, until cake is springy and a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. When cool, remove sides of pan, invert briefly to remove bottom of pan and paper and set upright on a plate.
• Place confectioners' sugar in a bowl, whisk in remaining zest and salt, then lemon juice (add up to 2 additional tablespoons to moisten if necessary). Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down the sides.

FRESH-FIG CAKE WITH HONEY CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch cake pan (or two 9-inch pans), and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, baking soda and salt.
• Using an electric mixer, whisk to combine sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Whisk in oil and buttermilk or yogurt to combine.
• Using a rubber spatula, gently fold dry ingredients into egg mixture just until combined. Fold in figs, jam and pecans.
• Scrape into prepared cake pan and bake until browned and springy to the touch, about 65 to 75 minutes (or 35 to 45 minutes for the 9-inch pans). If the top gets too dark before the cake is finished baking, cover it with foil. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• While cake is cooling, make the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and salt on low speed until smooth. Beat in honey and vanilla, then beat in confectioners' sugar.
• To assemble the cake, remove cooled cake from pan and peel off parchment paper. Slice cake in half horizontally, so you end up with 2 layers. (You don't need to do this for the 9-inch cakes.) Spread half the frosting between the layers, sandwiching it. Dollop remaining frosting in a thick layer on top of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border on the top of the cake, the sides, bare. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, top with sliced figs.

LEMON GINGER CAKE WITH LEMON-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 °F. Butter two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper; butter paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla (mixture may look curdled). Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each, beginning with dry ingredients.
• Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer pans to racks. Cool 10 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. Peel off waxed paper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For Frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over top. Place remaining cake layer atop. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake in decorative swirls. Sprinkle top of cake with remaining 1 teaspoon lemon peel. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)