Cakes and Frostings

Salted Caramel Gingerbread Poke Cake

Want to avoid baking a dry, crumbly cake? The poke cake method can help. By poking holes into the top of this baked and cooled gingerbread cake, you open pathways for melted Challenge Salted Caramel Butter Snack Spread to settle. Moist and delicious: check and check.

Prep

Cook

Servings

Level

Easy

Ingredients

Gingerbread Poke Cake

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
2 sticks (1 cup) Challenge Unsalted Butter, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
⅔ cup dark molasses (not Blackstrap)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup Challenge Salted Caramel Butter Snack Spread, melted, plus more for decorating

Whipped Cream

2 Tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 cups heavy cream, divided
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Gingerbreak Poke Cake

1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch x 9-inch baking pan and line with a parchment paper sling.
2

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Place butter, sugar, brown sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and molasses, scraping down bowl as needed.
3

Add dry ingredients and slowly mix until just combined. With the mixer running, slowly pour in hot water and mix until smooth.
4

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool 20 minutes, then use a chopstick to poke holes through the cake, about 1 inch apart.
5

Pour warm Salted Caramel Snack Spread all over the top of the cake (stir vigorously with a spoon to re-emulsify, if needed), and use an offset spatula to spread it into the holes. Spread top with whipped cream and drizzle with more Salted Caramel Snack Spread, if desired.

Whipped Cream

6

Place water in a medium glass bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top. Let stand until hydrated.
7

Heat at half-power for 5-second intervals in the microwave until melted and liquid, but not hot.
8

Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream and powdered sugar until thickened. Beat in vanilla. With mixer running, drizzle in liquefied gelatin and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.