Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Glaze

Lemon is a wonderful accompanyment to gingery desserts. It really peps up the spicy richness!



Gingerbread Cake



Butter for greasing

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably fresh

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup, packed, dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons turbinado sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger (a 2-ounce piece, peeled)

Grated zest of 2 lemons

1/2 cup grapeseed oil

1 large egg

3/4 cup stout beer

3/4 cup molasses

1/3 cup brewed coffee

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons lemon juice.



1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch springform cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, turbinado, ginger, zest of 1 lemon and oil. Beat in egg.

3. Place beer, molasses and coffee in a deep pot, at least 3 quarts. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Mixture will bubble up. Allow to cool 5 minutes.

4. Whisk flour mixture alternately with beer mixture into brown sugar mixture, in 3 shifts. Pour batter in pan and bake 40 minutes without opening oven. Give pan a 180-degree turn and bake another 15 minutes, until cake is springy and a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. When cool, remove sides of pan, invert briefly to remove bottom of pan and paper and set upright on a plate.

5. Place confectioners’ sugar in a bowl, whisk in remaining zest and salt, then lemon juice. Spread over top of cake, allowing glaze to drip down the sides.

Yield: 8 servings.