Gingerbread Cake with Maple Frosting

• 180g salted butter, at room temperature
• 200g brown sugar
• 60ml (1/4 cup) molasses
• 125ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
• 125ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
• 320g cake wheat flour
• 5ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 20ml (4 tsps ) ginger
• 10ml (2 tsp) cinnamon
• 5ml (1 tsp) mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 185g (1 1/4 cup) Food Lover’s Market Festive Food Cake Mix
• 60g (1/2 cup) pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

Maple Frosting

• 200g butter, at room temperature
• 250g cream cheese
• 5ml vanilla extract
• 30ml maple syrup
• 200g icing sugar

• Preheat the oven to 180º C. Butter and line 3 x 20cm round baking tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Drizzle in the molasses and whisk to combine. Add the sour cream and buttermilk and mix on a low speed to incorporate.
• Sift together the flour, raising agents, salt and spices then add to the butter mixture. Tip in the Festive Food Cake Mix and pecans and fold through.
• Divide the batter between the tins. Bake for 25-27 minutes until cooked through. Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
• For the maple frosting, whisk until light and pale. Add the cream cheese, vanilla and maple syrup and whisk to combine.
• Sift in the icing sugar and whisk until smooth.
• To assemble, place one layer on a cake stand. Spread with 1/4 cup frosting, then place the second layer on top. Repeat with the third cake layer. Cover the sides and top of the gingerbread cake liberally.
• Decorate with iced gingerbread biscuits.