WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In our opinion, gingerbread is only worth eating if its flavor is unmistakably bold and gingery. For this cake, we employed a quadruple ginger punch. We used robust molasses instead of mild, and stout beer instead of water, giving the cake a malty tang that tasters loved. Ground ginger provided the first spicy kick, and cinnamon and allspice contributed warm notes. Blooming the spices in melted butter (a technique the test kitchen uses for savory spiced dishes) intensified their flavor, but tasters still wanted more ginger. Grated fresh ginger brought a second layer of heat that the dried spice alone couldn’t muster. Another traditionally savory ingredient, black pepper, added a mild bite that further enhanced the ginger flavor. We used the glaze as an additional opportunity to turn up the ginger dial by mixing ground ginger with confectioners’ sugar and adding a few tablespoons of ginger ale to thin the glaze to just the right consistency. Be sure to use finely ground black pepper here. Do not use blackstrap molasses in this recipe.
Serves: 12
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 2 hours 20 minutes cooling time)
INGREDIENTS:
CAKE
- 2½ cups (12½ ounces) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ cups (10½ ounces) granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- ¾ cup robust or full molasses
- ¾ cup stout beer
GLAZE
- 1¾ cups (7 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons ginger ale
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
INSTRUCTIONS:
- For the cake Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.
- Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, and fresh ginger together in large bowl until light and frothy. Whisk in cooled melted butter mixture, molasses, and beer until incorporated. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool in pan on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, remove pan, and let cool completely, about 2 hours.
- For the glaze Whisk sugar, ginger ale, and ginger together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set, about 15 minutes, before serving. (Cake can stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
