Sunday, December 30, 2012

In the beginning was THE CAKE...




... and what a cake!  Rich and moist, aromatic like spiced gingerbread - yet with a distinct dark chocolate flavor.  And let's not forget the exquisite ginger ale icing, which finishes off the cake perfectly.  An ideal treat to have on a cold winter afternoon with a cup of strong black coffee (...while sitting in a comfortable armchair, enjoying the cheerful crackling of the fireplace and watching snowflakes cover the winter wonderland outside -- but let's not get too carried away).

I decided to add this chocolate gingerbread to this year's Christmas repertoire as an experiment.  At first it was received with a bit of skepticism (also by myself), but turned out to be a favorite among the other holiday treats.  I will definitely make it again next year.  

The recipe is a slightly adapted version of Nigella's Chocolate Gingerbread.





CAKE

Ingredients:
  • 175 g butter
  • 175 g dark muscovado sugar
  • 200 g golden syrup
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • tsp ground cinnamon
  • tsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • tbsp warm water
  • eggs
  • 250 ml milk
  • 275 g plain flour
  • 40 g cocoa
  • 200 g chopped bitter chocolate


Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 170ºC.  Line the bottom of a round baking tin (23 cm in diameter) with baking parchment.
  • Melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup and ground spices in a big pan.  Take the pan off the heat.
  • In a separate cup, dissolve the bicarbonate in warm water. 
  • Add the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate to the butter/sugar mixture and whisk together.  Add the cocoa and flour and stir thoroughly.  Finally add the chopped chocolate and stir again.
  • Pour the mixture to the baking tin.  Bake for about 50 minutes, let cool.

ICING

Ingredients:
  • 250 g icing sugar
  • 30 g butter
  • tbsp cocoa
  • 60 ml ginger ale
  • 50 g of roughly chopped walnuts


Directions
  • Melt the first four ingredients in a a small pan.  Let cool and thicken a bit, and pour over cake.
  • Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

Bon appetit!




6 comments:

  1. Congratulations, Gabi! The start looks really delicious :)

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  2. This is unequivocally the best gingerbread cake ever! Can't wait to see more great recipes from you.

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  3. I love the way you cook, Sis - very professional with a nice, sweet touch. You really put your heart into it, and that's why your food tastes so good :)

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