Gingerbread Petit Fours

This has been a whirlwind year! The Holidays are already here again. I have only one semester of fashion school left. It feels like yesterday, I was just starting at Parsons! I have learned more about the fashion industry, than I thought I ever could. I am hoping to do an internship during my final semester. Nothing gives you more experience than an internship at a high fashion firm. 

In the spirit of Christmas, I felt like featuring gingerbread this month. For those of you who are not familiar with gingerbread; it is a spice bread that originated in Germany. It is very popular around Christmas time. I thought turning this cake into petit fours, would a fun twist on tradition. I filled the layers with a cream cheese filling, which accents the gingerbread flavor beautifully. There are definitely some steps required to make these delicate little cakes, but they are so worth it! I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday season, and a blessed New Year!


For Gingerbread loaf cake: 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 Recipe adapted from:Whole and Heavenly Oven

Cream cheese Filling:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

Recipe from: Blogging Babies and The Bayou

Poured Fondant:

1 cup white confectionery coating or white chocolate chips
4 cups confectioner's sugar 
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring (if desired)

Recipe from:King Arthur Flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x5
 inch loaf pan. 

Cream together butter, honey, molasses, milk, vanilla extract, 

and egg together until well blended.   

In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, 

baking powder, ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. 

Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in three additions. 

Mix until smooth. 

Pour into pan, and smooth top with a spoon. Bake for 45-50 minutes,

 or until a toothpick comes out clean, when inserted into the middle of the loaf.

Meanwhile, prepare the cream chees filling by combining: 

softened cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon, 

and vanilla. 

Set aside.

Allow cake to cool in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Allow to cool completely.

Make several thick slices, and use cutter to cut out cake squares. 

Slice each square evenly, in half.

Add cream cheese filling to each layer. 

Prepare the poured fondant by melting the candy coating.

In a separate bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar,

 hot water, and corn syrup. 

Add candy coating & vanilla, and stir until smooth.

Add food coloring if desired.

Place each cake on a fork, and spoon poured fondant all over. 

Try to completely cover the cake in one spoonful, as multiple

 layers tend to look awkward. 

Place enrobed cake on wire rack, Top with decoration if desired. 

Allow fondant to dry completely before serving. (You will most 

likely need to use a knife to cut the cakes off of the rack)