GINGERBREAD CAKE
Serve with a Dry Stout, such as Bare Knuckle Stout
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
• 1 cup dry stout (beer)
• 1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• Confectioners' sugar for dusting
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch square glass baking dishes. In a deep saucepan, combine the stout and dark molasses over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda (it will foam up). Set aside and let cool.
In a bowl, combine the flour, ginger, cinnamon, all-spice, and salt. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the crystallized ginger, the melted butter, and brown sugar. Stir in the eggs and lemon zest. Stir in the flour mixture in four additions alternating with the stout mixture. Pour the batter into the baking dishes, dividing evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely, dust the tops with confectioners' sugar, and cut each into 6 squares.
In a bowl, combine the cream and granulated sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Stir in all but 1 teaspoon of the remaining crystallized ginger. Serve the cream with the cake, sprinkled with the last bit of ginger.
Recipes from 'The Anheuser-Busch Cookbook: Great Food, Great Beer', 185 Flavorful Recipes for Pairing Beer with Food by Anheuser-Busch (Sunset Books; January 2008; $24.95/softcover)
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