This weeks “Tuesdays with Dorie” recipe is a “Fresh Ginger and Chocolate Gingerbread” cake, selected by Heather of Sherry Trifle.
I made this cake on Saturday night.
Because my life is exciting like that.
Other TWD bakers said this cake tastes better the day after baking and I wanted to take it to my book club the next night. Nothing like foisting cake upon a group of women, many of whom are watching their weight! Oh, and I brought a previous TWD concoction, the pear tart, with me, too. Boy, my family was sad to see that pear tart head out the door.
In an effort to make this cake more appealing to my family of rascally chocolate/pear tart lovers I added a tablespoon of sifted cocoa powder to the flour mixture and used semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips for the stirred-in, unmelted chocolate. The mini-chocolate chips tend to disburse evenly, melting and pretty much absorbing into the batter. Additionally, instead of mincing the fresh ginger I used my rasp grater and grated a piece about an inch long.
I fear I may suffer from ADD because whenever I reach a point in a recipe that requires a break, for example, in this recipe, while the melted chocolate cooled, I start another recipe. That’s how I ended up also making the components for the pear tart. Later, while the cake was baking I also made Leche Quemada (burnt milk candy.)
Now, I’ve never actually tasted Leche Quemada, which posed a bit of a problem. My recipe gave me time frames, no color guidelines to watch for, no temps to reach like most candy recipes. Thus, every step of the way I wasn’t sure if it was progressing as expected.
I was a little nervous to bring it into work Monday, as both my co-workers are familiar with the candy. But they said it was perfect, even with the foodie touch of sprinkling the top with a little sea salt to give the taste a boost.
See, I told you I have attention deficit issues! My post has
(d?)evolved from TWD to my everyday cooking adventures.
I baked the cake for exactly 40 minutes, allowed it to cool and made the frosting.
Frosting or Icing? Here in IL, at least in my family, we say frosting.
For the “fricing” I cut up three ounces of Sharffen Berger 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate and melted it over simmering water, added a dash of coffee, whisked in the butter, stirred in the powdered sugar and allowed it to set for ten minutes before icing the cake.
I am AWFUL at decorating cakes. I just can’t make things look pretty. (Accept for my daughter, of course, she’s awfully pretty!)
In fact, if I ever own a bakery it will be called “The Fugly Bakery.”
Any investors out there?
The motto will be “Ugly, but delicious!”
Anyway, the “iceting” spread amazingly well and tasted really rich and chocolate-y.
I also made the ginger infused whipped cream that’s mentioned next to the cake recipe. I brought heavy cream almost to a boil, added eight slivers of ginger and allowed it to steep overnight in the fridge. The next morning I strained out the ginger and whipped the cream, adding confectioner’s sugar to taste and a teeny-tiny pinch of ground cinnamon.
Secret Server REALLY liked the whipped cream. I did, too, and felt it was the perfect accompaniment to the cake.
If you like gingerbread, you’ll really like this cake, it’s incredibly flavorful. Thanks, Heather, for picking such an interesting and delicious TWD recipe! (Oh, and if you want the Leche Quemada recipe, leave me a comment and I’ll post it or email it to you!)
18 responses so far ↓
1
Secret Server
// Jan 27, 2009 at 8:43 am
Jennifer, you cake was super delicious, thanks for sharing it with us. I wasn’t going to make the whipped cream until I tried yours. Someday, I hope we can have that fugley bakery!
2
chocolatechic
// Jan 27, 2009 at 9:30 am
We just loved this recipe.
3
jen
// Jan 27, 2009 at 11:04 am
I love the idea of the Fugly bakery! I’m sorry I didn’t make the whipped cream – but our cakes were gone before I got the chance.
4
peggy
// Jan 27, 2009 at 2:33 pm
Your daughter is very pretty! And the whipped cream looks delicious. And you were killing me with all the cooking you had going on at once. I don’t think I could keep track of ingredients that way!!!
5
Spike
// Jan 27, 2009 at 3:11 pm
The ginger infused whipped cream does sound wonderful. Next time!
6
Teanna
// Jan 27, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Ha! Fugly bakery! What a name!!!
7
Wendy
// Jan 27, 2009 at 3:42 pm
I need to make the ginger-infused whipped cream. In fact, I’m thinking of making it as an ice cream base. YUM>
8
Carolina
// Jan 27, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Your blog had be rolling. You are too funny. The gingerbread looks great. I also loved that pear tart. I am going to make it again soon. It was really just perfect.
9
Laura
// Jan 27, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Man, I love those plates. They remind of my Grandma Edith.
10
Amy
// Jan 27, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Great post, and lovely picture with all that delicious whipped cream on top! Mine was a little dry the second day, which was disappointing, but it still had great flavor.
11
dharmagirl
// Jan 27, 2009 at 6:13 pm
i love your narrative here:) i really wanted to make the ginger cream, but the cake was done, i didn’t have whipped cream at home, and it was too cold to go back out to the store…i’m glad to hear it’s as tasty as i thought it would be!
12
pamela
// Jan 27, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Your daughter is very cute, that’s for sure! Nice job on the cake and the whipped cream, too. I really enjoyed this one.
13
Cathy
// Jan 27, 2009 at 9:42 pm
I like your ADD posts — being ADD myself, I can follow them much better than more linear posts.
I will invest in the Fugly Bakery. And I think your gingerbread looks GREAT — good call on grating rather than chopping the ginger. Biting into one of those suckers is not a pleasant surprise. Love the whipped cream, too! Oh, and your daughter IS awfully pretty!
14
Farah
// Jan 28, 2009 at 2:37 am
I really, really like the idea of your ginger infused cream. I wish i had thought of that
15
Katrina
// Jan 28, 2009 at 10:38 am
Good cake! Looks great. Next time I’ll try the ginger whipped cream. I have a ton of cream like never before since joining TWD.
16
Margaret
// Jan 28, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Typical Baker — multi – multi tasking. Cake looks good.
17
Beth
// Jan 31, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I died laughing at fricing and iceting! Very funny post! Sounds like a great recipe too. I’ll have to give it a try.
18
Billy Dennis
// Feb 2, 2009 at 8:13 am
NOT an ugly picture. She’s cute as a button.
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