Gingerbread Layer Cake With Brown-Butter Icing
By Chatelaine120
PREP TIME
45 min
TOTAL TIME
1 h 15 min
Serves
12
* PLUS 1 hour chilling and cooling time
Photo, Erik Putz.
Molasses and ginger (as well as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves) impart this gingerbread layer cake with loads of comforting holiday flavours.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fancy molasses
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Brown butter icing
- 2/3 cup butter
- 125 g cream cheese
- 2 1/2 cups icing sugar
- 1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Instructions
- MELT butter in a medium saucepan over medium, stirring until nutty brown, 4 to 5 min. Pour into a medium bowl, leaving brown bits in pan. Let cool 10 min. Refrigerate until butter is cold and firm, about 1 hour.
- PREHEAT oven to 350 F. Spray 2 9-in. round cake pans with oil and line bottoms with parchment.
- WHISK molasses with hot water in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in baking soda. Let stand for 10 min.
- WHISK flour, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- WHISK eggs, oil, both sugars and vanilla in a large bowl. Whisk in molasses mixture. Gradually whisk in flour mixture just until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pans, smoothing tops. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, about 35 min. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 min. Run a knife around edge of pans and turn out onto rack. Remove parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.
- BEAT cold brown butter with an electric mixer on medium-high, until light and creamy, about 3 min. Beat in cream cheese until smooth, about
4 min. Reduce speed to medium-low. Gradually add icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time, until combined, 5 more min. - PLACE 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread half of the icing overtop. Add second cake layer. Spread remaining icing overtop. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger. Tip: Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap in plastic wrap. Make brown butter icing up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate in an airtight container.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories
- 605,
- Protein
- 5 g,
- Carbohydrates
- 85 g,
- Fat
- 28 g,
- Fibre
- 1 g,
- Sodium
- 437 mg.
- Excellent source of
- iron
