Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the gingerbread as pictured, use this tree-shaped baking pan https://www.nordicware.com/products/evergreen-cakelet-pan/. You can also use two 8-inch cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper round on the bottom. Alternately, you can use a small 6-cup capacity bundt pan. Set your preferred pan(s) aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, dried ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and brown sugar at medium-low speed until smooth and combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs 1 at a time, waiting until each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Add the molasses and mix until combined, then add the ginger, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. With the mixer running at low speed, alternate between adding the  buttermilk and flour mixture in three increments, mixing until *just* combined (do not overmix).

If using the tree-shaped baking pan, spray it with cooking oil and dust with almond flour before filling the tree molds 3/4 full with batter (it will puff up when baking and rise to fill the mold). The recipe makes 12 of the tree cakes, so you will need to use the pan twice. If using the 6-cup capacity bundt pan, spray it with cooking oil and dust with almond flour before adding the batter to the pan. If using two 8-inch cake pans, evenly distribute the batter between the two greased and lined cake pans.

Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, which is about 20 to 25 minutes for the tree-shaped baking pan. The cooking time will vary depending on the cooking pan you use—basically the larger the pan, the longer the bake time—so keep an eye on your gingerbread and take it out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before gently unmolding the cake onto the wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve. Will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.