Easy Gingerbread Cake with Vanilla Bean Icing

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp

Ginger, ground

Eggs, large

1 1/3 cups

Molasses

3 cups

All-purpose flour

2 tsp

Baking soda

1 1/3 cups

Brown sugar, dark

2 tsp

Cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp

Cloves, ground

5 cups

Powdered sugar

1/2 tsp

Salt

8 tbsp

Butter

1 stick

Butter

2 oz

Cream cheese or neufchatel cheese

5 tbsp

Half & half or whole milk

1 1/3 cups

Water

seeds scraped from 1/2 vanilla bean*