Classic Gingerbread Cake

Makes:

1x 9by 13-inch pan

Serves:

18 to 24 portions

Category:

Introduction

About this Recipe

Recipe from Bake with Anna Olson
by Random House, 2016

This moist, fragrantly spiced cake is an autumn staple. Since it doesn’t have a frosting or filling, the best way to serve it is cut into a square and plated with a dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (195 g) fancy molasses
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) finely grated fresh ginger
  • 2 ¼ cups (335 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp (2 g) salt
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) boiling water
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) baking soda
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped crystallized ginger
  • icing sugar, for dusting
  • lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving
NOTES: The cake will keep, wrapped, for up to 3 days.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C) and grease a 9-x-13-inch cake pan.

Step 2

Beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon juice, and ginger.

Step 3

In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the spices and the salt. Add this to the butter mixture and stir until blended. Stir the boiling water and baking soda and add this quickly to the batter, stirring quickly and then stir in the crystallized ginger (the batter will be fluid). Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool the cake completely in the pan and cut into squares to serve with a dusting of icing sugar and a dollop of whipped cream.