The Gingerbread Man's Cake | Cooking Professionally

Ingredients

• ***For the cake:***
• baking spray with flour, to taste, for greasing the dish
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ***For the frosting:***
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• candied ginger, optional, to taste, chopped, store-bought or homemade
• sparkling sugar, optional, to taste, white or gold