Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Biblically Good Gingerbread

Soft gingerbread cake, looking very much like it was Photoshopped in, but it wasn't.


A guy I knew in college surprised us all, as we peeled back the layers and got to know him better, to be a bit of a downer. Like Eeyore - always thinking it was going to rain and don't-you-feel-so-sorry-for-me-because-of-it, kind of a person. Everyone knows someone like this. Recently, I surprised myself as a downer when I found myself telling my sister how awful her freshly baked gingerbread was going to be (we were on the phone as she was pulling it out of the oven).

I’ve been tinkering with my gingerbread recipe for years. At one point it was perfect. But when I rewrote it for high altitude I misplaced the original recipe. When I spoke with my sister I was still working out kinks in my recipe and had recently made a gingerbread using the exact recipe she used*. It was really disappointing - not that it in any way excuses my big mouth. Beth seems to have forgiven my pessimism. Today's post is an olive branch, a promise to never rain on inferior gingerbread. Oops! I did it again...Well, at least I'm offering the recipe for what is, in my estimation, the best gingerbread, ever.


I’m so pleased to have Gingerbread back in my baking rotation, and to offer it here. It is the best thing, ever. It’s a fabulous tea cake, and a wonderful light dessert served with low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake
Print recipe only here

Makes one 12-cup bundt cake
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350°

Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with canola spray.

Sift and add to the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with paddle attachment):
3 1/3 cups flour
2 ½ t baking powder
1 ½ t salt
1 T ginger
1 ½ t cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Add:
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup molasses
Slowly add:
¾ cup plus 2 T canola oil
1 cup boiling water

Mix thoroughly, scraping sides and bottom.

Transfer batter to the prepared pan and bake about 40-50 minutes. The cake will be darker, firm and pull from the sides when it is done. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.

Keeps well, covered, at room temperature, for 4-5 days.

* For the curious, the *bad gingerbread recipe* was the Soft Gingerbread from the otherwise praise-worthy Fannie Farmer Baking Book.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Fine. I'm going to try this for our dinner guests Friday. But I maintain that the best accompaniment for gingerbread is whipped cream.

Katie Fairbank said...

yes, cream is best. i agree.

i know you'll love this one. :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds great!
Can I add raisins??
Uncle John

Katie Fairbank said...

I worry raisins might be too sweet. Try a rum-plumped currant first perhaps. :)

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

This was really good. Thanks for a terrific recipe!

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Anonymous said...

I am looking for a high altitude recipe- (8,000 ft) is this it? My last batch rose too quick and slopped over the sides of the pan and then fell.

Katie Fairbank said...

For high altitude:

3 1/2 cups flour
2 t baking powder
1 ½ t salt
1 T ginger
1 ½ t cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup molasses

1 cup canola oil
1 cup boiling water