Chocolate Gingerbread Cake
This cozy spiced loaf cake gets a triple dose of ginger – ground, fresh and crystallized – and the totally delicious addition of chocolate. A pour of molasses and an assortment of other warm spices help round out the flavors, and buttermilk makes it extra moist. Serve slightly warm slices of this gingerbread with a bit of vanilla ice cream for a simple and satisfying dessert. Bonus: Baking this cake will make your house smell amazing.
- Total:
- Serves: 8 persons
Ingredients
- 10tablespoons/141 grams unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
- 1 ¾cups/224 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- 1teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- ¾teaspoon kosher salt
- 1tablespoon ground ginger
- 2teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ⅔cup/146 grams dark brown sugar
- 2large eggs
- ⅓cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- ½teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ¾cup buttermilk
- ¼cup/28 grams chopped crystallized ginger
- ½cup/85 grams chopped semisweet chocolate
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices until well combined.Step 3
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, mixing for about 20 seconds in between each and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add molasses, fresh ginger and lemon zest and mix to combine.Step 4
Set mixer to low and alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk in 3 additions, beginning and ending with dry. Stir until a few spots of flour remain. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, with a spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger and chocolate.Step 5
Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the top and bake the cake until set and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.