The secret to a good gingerbread cake is molasses and lots of warm spices. These add that rich, dark color and flavor and a gentle warming effect that makes gingerbread so lovely to eat. To make this gingerbread cake recipe, you'll first need to cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together. Then, gradually add the wet ingredients (sour cream, vanilla extract, and eggs). Alternate adding the flour, baking powder, and warm spices with a mixture of hot water and molasses until the batter is fully combined. Then, bake, cool, frost, and enjoy!