Spiced Ginger Cake
Makes 2 – 22.5 cm round cakes or 12 cupcakes
SHOWSTOPPING DECADENT
Ginger Spiced Cake
¾ cup (180 mL) molasses ½ cup (120 mL) apple sauce ½ cup sugar ¼ cup (60 mL) maple syrup ½ cup (120 mL) neutral oil (like canola) 1½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour 1 cup buckwheat flour 1 Tbs ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground cloves ¾ tsp allspice 8 grates nutmeg pinch salt 2 tsp baking soda 2½ Tbs grated ginger 1 tsp ground ginger 2 eggs room temperature, whisked Note: A microplane is perfect for grating the ginger. Another option is to roughly chop the ginger then add it to your food processor along with the sugar and pulse until the ginger is finely chopped.
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STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIE FINDLAY
OW DO YOU MAKE THE holiday season extra special without making it harder on yourself? This showstopper dessert is all you need this season of celebration. The cake comes together quickly and easily with a couple of bowls and a hand whisk, and the icing can be whipped up with hand beaters. From such a simple technique, you will be delighted with the deep, rich, spiced flavour that will complement your festive dinner parties or enjoyed with afternoon tea.
28 Culinaire | December 2021
Heat oven to 350º F. 1. Line the bottom and sides of your 22.5 cm (9”) round cake pan with parchment paper or cupcake tin with liners. 2. Mix together the molasses, apple sauce, sugar, maple syrup and oil. 3. In another bowl, sift together flours, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and salt. 4. In a small saucepan or kettle, bring 1 cup (240 mL) water to a boil. Add baking soda to hot water, then mix into molasses mixture. Stir in grated ginger. 5. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients (flour and spice mixture) into the wet ingredients (molasses mixture). Add eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. 6. Pour the batter into prepared cake pan, and bake about 35 minutes (about 20 minutes for cupcakes), until top of cake springs back lightly when pressed or until a toothpick inserted into centre comes out clean. Cool cake for at least 30 minutes. 7. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen it from pan. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack, and peel off parchment paper. Let cool completely before icing.
