Guinness Gingerbread Cake

Not that I really needed more sweets and desserts after Christmas, but I was rather restrained over the holidays and wanted to challenge myself by coming up with a gingerbread cake as a treat for my sweetie and best friend Basil. I am more of a cook than a baker, so I was a little apprehensive about drafting my own recipe. Well, the result was heavenly and my gingerbread aficionados declared this to be one of the best renditions of gingerbread they have ever enjoyed.

Deliciously moist, unlike many gingerbread recipes, and not overly sweet, even this savory girl was coming back for seconds. This is my first time using Guinness for baking and surely it won't be the last. The stout adds a nice depth of flavor that compliments the fresh ginger. You may of course use ground ginger, but for the complete gingerbread experience, I highly recommend going fresh.

Guinness Gingerbread Cake

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on December 30, 2012 Rich, moist, flavorful and not-too-sweet gingerbread cake made with Guinness and fresh ginger Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking time: 50 to 60 minutes Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup agave syrup or honey 1/2 cup molasses 1 cup Guinness or other stout 2 1/4 cups unbleached white or spelt flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated 3 eggs 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt icing sugar for dusting Instructions: Generously grease a standard 10-inch bundt pan and preheat an oven to 350°F. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, syrup, molasses and Guinness, and stir over medium-low heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamon and ginger. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt and transfer to the flour mixture along with the butter and sugar mixture. Whisk until everything is combined and the batter is smooth. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven until a cake tester comes out clean — about 50 to 60 minutes. Let sit in the pan for 20 minutes on a wire rack and then invert the cake onto a serving platter or plate. Dust with icing sugar and serve with whipped cream if desired. Makes one 10-inch cake

More gingerbread delights from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Healthy Gingerbread
Chocolate Brownies with Fresh Ginger
Fresh Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Icing
Gingerbread Muffins

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