3-Ginger Gingerbread Cake
Moist gingerbread cake made with Guinness and molasses, layered with cream cheese frosting. Tips for swaps, baking times, storage, and frosting.
This lovely recipe is adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book by Beatrice Ojakangas.
Submitted by: Judith Dunbar Hines and Rick Delby from n/a, n/a
Yield: serves 10
- Boil Guinness and molasses, add baking soda, then cool before mixing to brighten flavor and lift the cake.
- Fold the wet mixture into spiced dry ingredients, bake in three 8-inch pans about 25 minutes, then chill before frosting.
- Use room temperature cream cheese and butter for a smooth frosting; refrigerate the finished cake because of the cream cheese.
Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 8-inch pans. Bring beer and molasses to boil in a heavy medium-size non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and add baking soda. Let it stand about 1 hour until cool.
Whisk flour and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Whisk eggs and both sugars in another bowl until blended. Whisk in oil, then stout mixture. Gradually whisk liquid mixture into dry mixture. Stir in fresh ginger.
Divide mixture evenly between the 3 cake pans and level tops. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 14 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks and allow to cool completely. (Cakes can be made 1 day ahead of serving, wrapped securely. Or wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then put into plastic zip-top bags and cool until ready to use.)
For frosting:
Use electric mixer to beat cream cheese, butter, and orange peel in a large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Chill 30 minutes before frosting cake. Decorate with candied ginger arranged in a circle at top edge of cake.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different beer or a nonalcoholic substitute?
Yes. A dark stout or porter gives the same roast and depth as Guinness. If you prefer no alcohol, use a nonalcoholic stout or strong brewed coffee. Avoid light lagers because they lack the flavor and color needed for this cake.
Why do I boil the beer and molasses and add baking soda?
Heating melds the molasses and beer flavors. Adding baking soda produces a fizzing reaction that lightens the batter and reduces acidity. Letting it cool keeps the eggs from cooking when you mix the batter.
Why must the stout mixture sit for about 1 hour?
You wait so the hot mixture returns to room temperature and the baking soda reaction calms. Mixing a cool liquid with eggs prevents curdling and gives a steadier texture in the finished cake.
Can I bake this cake in two pans or a different size?
Yes. If you use two 9-inch pans, divide the batter evenly and increase the bake time to around 30 to 40 minutes. Watch for a clean toothpick in the center. You can also use 8-inch pans as written and level the layers if needed.
How do I keep the cake from sinking or getting too dense?
Measure flour by spooning and leveling, avoid overmixing once wet ingredients meet dry, and make sure baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Do not open the oven early. Cool in the pan 14 minutes then invert to finish cooling.
How do I make the cream cheese frosting smooth and spreadable?
Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature, beat until fluffy, then add powdered sugar gradually. If the frosting is too soft chill it for 15 to 30 minutes. If too thin, add more powdered sugar a little at a time.
What is the best way to store or freeze the cake?
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Unfrosted baked layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen up to 2 months. Thaw frozen layers overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
Can I use a different beer or a nonalcoholic substitute?
Yes. A dark stout or porter gives the same roast and depth as Guinness. If you prefer no alcohol, use a nonalcoholic stout or strong brewed coffee. Avoid light lagers because they lack the flavor and color needed for this cake.
Why do I boil the beer and molasses and add baking soda?
Heating melds the molasses and beer flavors. Adding baking soda produces a fizzing reaction that lightens the batter and reduces acidity. Letting it cool keeps the eggs from cooking when you mix the batter.
Why must the stout mixture sit for about 1 hour?
You wait so the hot mixture returns to room temperature and the baking soda reaction calms. Mixing a cool liquid with eggs prevents curdling and gives a steadier texture in the finished cake.
Can I bake this cake in two pans or a different size?
Yes. If you use two 9-inch pans, divide the batter evenly and increase the bake time to around 30 to 40 minutes. Watch for a clean toothpick in the center. You can also use 8-inch pans as written and level the layers if needed.
How do I keep the cake from sinking or getting too dense?
Measure flour by spooning and leveling, avoid overmixing once wet ingredients meet dry, and make sure baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Do not open the oven early. Cool in the pan 14 minutes then invert to finish cooling.
How do I make the cream cheese frosting smooth and spreadable?
Bring cream cheese and butter to room temperature, beat until fluffy, then add powdered sugar gradually. If the frosting is too soft chill it for 15 to 30 minutes. If too thin, add more powdered sugar a little at a time.
What is the best way to store or freeze the cake?
Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the frosted cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Unfrosted baked layers can be wrapped tightly and frozen up to 2 months. Thaw frozen layers overnight in the refrigerator before frosting.
I really wanted to like this cake because I have such a fondness for strong flavors such as Guinness Extra Stout, molasses, strong ginger and other spices. I liked the fluffy texture, and the level of sweetness seemed right. However, the combination of stout and molasses created a strong and bitter flavor that outshone the spices and left a rather unpleasant, almost burnt, aftertaste.