Gingerbread Man Cake

Instructions

Gingerbread Man Sheet Cake:

1. Make the gingerbread sheet cake first, so it has time to cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Line a 9x13-inch (quarter sheet) pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
2. Place two flower nails / heating cores in the center of the pan, with the flat side resting flat against the cake pan. Make sure they are spaced a few inches apart and spray them thoroughly with non-stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, whisk 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp ginger, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp cloves, and 1 tsp salt together. Set aside.
4. In a separate, large bowl, vigorously whisk together 2 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and 4 large eggs for a minute, until smooth. I usually make this cake recipe by hand, but you can also use a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat on a medium-high speed for a minute with an electric mixer. The mixture should become lighter in color as air is incorporated.
5. Then mix 1 cup warm water, 1 cup buttermilk, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup molasses, and 1 tsp vanilla into the sugar /egg mixture. Whisk together until combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk together until just combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan. Reposition the flower nails if they've shifted so that they’re evenly spaced across the pan.
8. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs. If you don't use heating cores, the cake will take 5-10 additional minutes to bake. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cake bake evenly.
9. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 30 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Gingerbread Buttercream Frosting:

1. While the sheet cake bakes, make the gingerbread buttercream.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, beat 2 cups of room temperature butter on a low speed for 30 seconds with a paddle or whisk attachment (or hand mixer) until smooth.
3. Add in 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt and beat on low until combined.
4. Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 1/4 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
5. Mix on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. 
6. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tbsp at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
7. Continue to mix on the lowest speed for a minute or two to help make the frosting super smooth.
8. Scoop 1 cup of frosting into a small piping bag fit with a small round tip and set aside.
9. Then it's time to color and flavor our frosting! Scoop 2 Tbsp of buttercream into a small bowl and color it pink with gel food coloring. Place the frosting in a small bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and set aside.
10. Scoop 1 cup of buttercream into the same bowl and color it red with gel food coloring. Place the frosting in a small bag fit with a small, round piping tip and set aside.
11. Scoop 2 Tbsp of buttercream into a small bowl and color it green with gel food coloring. Place the frosting in a small bag fit with a medium-sized round piping tip and set aside.
12. Mix 1/2 cup molasses, 1 Tbsp ginger, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp cloves, and a generous squirt of warm brown gel food coloring into the remaining buttercream until all the ingredients are combined.
13. Scoop 2 Tbsp of buttercream into a small bowl and color it black with gel food coloring. Place the frosting in a small bag fit with a small round piping tip and set aside.
14. Cover the remaining frosting in the bowl flush with plastic wrap (to prevent crusting) or place in a large piping bag and set aside until you're ready to use it.

Decorating This Gingerbread Man Cake:

1. Once the sheet cake is fully cooled, flip it over to carefully remove the heating cores, then level the top of the cake with a serrated knife.
2. Use this template to cut the cake layer into the shape of a gingerbread man. The template is a bit on the small side (limited to the size of a piece of printer paper) so I suggest trimming about an inch around the template. I recommend making gingerbread man cakesicles or cake pops with the leftover cake trimmings. Or if you don't want to trim the cake, you can frost the entire sheet cake and use the template to trace the outline of the gingerbread man.
3. Place the sheet cake on the rectangular cake board or platter you plan to use, then pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes to make it easier to frost. I leave the cake uncovered when I chill it!
4. Once the cake is cold to the touch, cover it in a thick layer of gingerbread buttercream. Use a small offset spatula and a bench scraper or acetate sheet to get the frosting nice and smooth. I recommend covering the entire sheet cake (sides and top) with buttercream if you make this in advance to keep the cake nice and moist. However, if you make this shortly before you plan to eat it, you can just frost the top of the cake.
5. Then use a toothpick or scribe to trace out where you want to pipe the gingerbread man's details. Use the white, black, pink, red, and green frosting to add on the gingerbread man's face, scarf, buttons, and sleeves like in the picture above. I used a basket weave piping technique to pipe on the scarf, but this is totally optional.
6. Then enjoy! This cake can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 days, be stored in the fridge for up to a week or be kept in the freezer for up to a month. I recommend storing it in an airtight container to keep it nice and fresh.