Bold and Spicy Gingerbread
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 1, 2012
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours cooling
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon baking soda ¾ teaspoon salt 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon pepper 4 large eggs, room temperature1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger ¾ cup molasses, robust or dark¾ cup stout beerGlaze
1 ¾ cups (7 ounces/198 grams) confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons ginger ale1 teaspoon ground gingerBefore You Begin
Guinness is the test kitchen's favorite brand of stout. An equal amount of orange or lemon juice can be substituted for the ginger ale in the glaze. Be sure to use finely ground black pepper here.
Instructions
- For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, and fresh ginger in large bowl until light and frothy. Stir in melted butter mixture, molasses, and stout until incorporated. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until no lumps remain.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and gently tap pan on countertop to release any trapped air bubbles. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely.
- For the glaze: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, ginger ale, and ginger in bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Let glaze set for 15 minutes. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
Time
1½ hours, plus 2 hours coolingYield
Serves 12Ingredients
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¾ cup molasses, robust or dark
¾ cup stout beer
Glaze
1 ¾ cups (7 ounces/198 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons ginger ale
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¾ cup molasses, robust or dark
¾ cup stout beer
Glaze
1 ¾ cups (7 ounces/198 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons ginger ale
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Cake
2 ½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups (10½ ounces/298 grams) sugar
4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¾ cup molasses, robust or dark
¾ cup stout beer
Glaze
1 ¾ cups (7 ounces/198 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons ginger ale
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For Bold and Spicy Gingerbread, the standard liquid combination of mild molasses and water seemed lackluster, so we switched to robust molasses and stout. The beer gave the cake a deep malty tang that tasters loved. Powdered ginger gave the cake some bite, and a little cinnamon and allspice supported the ginger flavor nicely. Blooming the spices in melted butter, a technique the test kitchen uses for savory spiced dishes, promoted flavor, but tasters still wanted more ginger. A bit of grated fresh ginger added an unmistakable element that dried spices alone couldn’t muster.
Before You Begin
Guinness is the test kitchen's favorite brand of stout. An equal amount of orange or lemon juice can be substituted for the ginger ale in the glaze. Be sure to use finely ground black pepper here.
Instructions
- For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until bubbling. Stir in ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Whisk eggs, sugar, and fresh ginger in large bowl until light and frothy. Stir in melted butter mixture, molasses, and stout until incorporated. Whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until no lumps remain.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and gently tap pan on countertop to release any trapped air bubbles. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cake cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; let cool completely.
- For the glaze: Whisk confectioners’ sugar, ginger ale, and ginger in bowl until smooth. Pour glaze over cooled cake. Let glaze set for 15 minutes. Serve. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
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