There’s nothing like the smell of gingerbread to make you think Christmas—but why build a house when you can eat Gingerbread Cake! In A Gingerbread Romance Taylor finds herself baking and rebaking the layers needed for a life sized gingerbread house, but you can pop this easy-to-make cake in the oven and sit back and enjoy your book while it bakes.
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
INGREDIENTS
Gingerbread Cake
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup unsulfured mild molasses
¾ cup hot water
Lemon Sauce
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
As needed whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare gingerbread cake: preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
2. Combine butter and brown sugar in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; stir to blend. In a separate bowl; combine molasses and water; stir to blend.
5. Alternately add about 1/3 dry and wet ingredients to mixing bowl and mix until just combined. Scrape down sides of bowl; pour batter into pan.
6. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
7. To prepare lemon sauce: combine all ingredients in saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens.
8. Slice cake into wedges; top each with warm lemon sauce and whipped cream.