T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, every creature was stirring, yes, even a mouse! A gingerbread cake spiked neatly with rum, put the children back to bed before they could hum. (Nooooooo! Not real rum, come on, rum extract people– rum extract!)

Gingerbread Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

Mother smeared the cake good with a browned butter frosting and gave Father a lick from her spoon before tossing. When they finally snuggled up tight for the night, Santa Claus came and gave them a fright! (Because, actually, it was a bad Santa, the kind that breaks a window instead of coming down the chimney).

Gingerbread layer cake with rum brown butter creamcheese frosting

A house full of chaos, needless to say, the Gingerbread Cake was at least here to stay….

Layla Lion and Gingerbread Cake
Hettie Rose and Gingerbread cake

And I’m not even going to tell you if that’s fact or fiction. Okay, it’s kind of both. We were robbed last Christmas and my kids really love rum brown butter cream cheese frosting. (Please let this frosting not be the gateway to hurricanes, daiquiris and mojitos.)

Poached Pears and Gingerbread Cake

Anapestic tetrameter aside, even if you don’t like sweet spices (cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg) you will want to slather everything in this frosting. Yes, it is that good. I wouldn’t waste my time bragging about it, if it was just run of the mill prose. My husband smears the extra on toast in the morning.

Layla Lion making Gingerbread Cake

To get ready for Christmas, the children would help, and then run to their laptops to watch Ariel in kelp. Exhausted, but happy, Mother, after lighting the tree (Yes, I put real candles on the tree, family tradition – we have an extinguisher nearby, don’t worry) sipped scotch and ate a big slice of cake happily. She passed out on the sofa with a belly warm and full, Father carried her upstairs – now that’s an ending so cool!

It does taste better when your Sous Chef doesn’t mix up cumin for cinnamon though. Happy Holidays Friends, wishing you a cozy and healthy Winter break – we are ALL in this together!

Winter Cake Topping

If you love the browned butter frosting, check out my Pumpkin Cupcakes here: http://www.amyglaze.com/spiced-pumpkin-cupcakes-with-brown-butter-cream-cheese-frosting/

Layla and Hettie Rose
Hettie Rose Frosting Finger

And if you love the poached pears (they are delicious on their own or with a scoop of ice cream) check out my pear tart here, the poaching syrup makes gorgeous cocktails too – add a splash to champagne for a truly festive celebration: http://www.amyglaze.com/pear-and-almond-tart/

Gingerbread Layer Cake with Poached Pears

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Gingerbread Layer Cake with Rum Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • Gingerbread Cake
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing pans
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus a tablespoon more for pans
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups unsulfured molasses
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature, whisked together
  • Poached Pears
  • 5 medium firm but ripe pears
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Juice of 2 lemons
  • Peel from one lemon
  • star anise,optional
  • Rum Browned Butter Frosting
  • 24 ounces real cream cheese (like Gina Marie – not whipped) softened to room temperature
  • 2 sticks butter, one salted and one unsalted, browned and cooled (1 cup butter)
  • 6 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted twice for lumps, if you want it sweeter add 1 more cup. You can adjust easily.
  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon rum extract (or more depending on how you like it)

The Gingerbread Cake (adapted from Martha Stewart)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment. Butter parchment and dust with flour, tapping out excess.

Combine boiling water and baking soda in a medium bowl. Sift flour baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt into a large bowl.

Beat butter in a standing mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Add brown sugar and beat until fluffy but not melted. Beat in molasses, fresh grated ginger. Beat in baking soda mixer (on low speed first, this is going to splash) and then add in flour mixture and beat until just combined. Beat in eggs.

Divide batter evenly among the three pans. Bake until a toothpick insterted in the center of cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Remove and let cakes cool on wire racks in their pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto the racks.

Poached Pears:

In a quart pan over high heat, combine: water, sugar, lemon peel and vanilla. Bring to a a boil stirring and boiling until sugar dissolves. Cut pears in half lengthwise, peel and sprinkle with lemon juice. Remove cores with a melon baller. Place halves cut-side down in the sugar mixture; cover, reduce heat and simmer until tender when pierced (about 10 minutes)

Rum Brown Butter Frosting

Put the butter sticks in a small pot on the stove top over low heat. Once the butter melts and starts to gently simmer the milk solids will foam on the top. Stir the butter a few times and allow the milk solids to caramelize. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and further darken to a deep brown. Once the sizzle sound has stopped, your butter is browned. Cool in a bowl in the fridge or the freezer if you're in a hurry. Before using the browned butter in the frosting, allow it to come back up to room temperature or your frosting will be lumpy – you want smooth frosting!

In a large bowl using a hand mixer (and normal beaters – not whisk beaters) beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the browned butter and  beat until creamy on high speed. Add 3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and rum extract. Beat on a lower speed until combined, then kick up the speed  to high and beat further until the mixture is silky smooth.

To assemble: Place one layer on a cake stand, smear frosting over top and layer with pears. Repeat for the next layer. For the top layer, simply frost (no pears) and decorate as you like!