I really wanted to sneak this one in before Thanksgiving because it is so easy to make yet really delivers. This moist pudding like cake is full of ginger flavor and when paired with freshly whipped cream or ice cream…oh so very good. While it bakes – the top turns cakey while the bottom creates a sticky syrup. I’ll admit that sometimes it doesn’t look too beautiful (although to me – the sticky look is immediately appealing). I read about this a few years ago in Bon Appetit – it was in the readers’ favorite restaurant recipes – and brought it to our families for Thanksgiving. Huge hit especially with Rob’s family! Over the past few weeks I’ve received e-mails from almost every member of his family – urging me to share this recipe and to please bake it again for Thanksgiving. OH, and by the way, you can make this the day before you plan to serve and just re-heat in the oven for service. This recipe makes one 8×8 pan – I often double the recipe making two pans – or bake doubled in a 9×13 pan – just watch the baking time…
gingerbread pudding cake:
1 1/4 all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons beaten egg – (from 1 egg)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup mild molasses
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
5 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
freshly whipped cream and or vanilla ice cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8×8 pan.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In your mixer or with hand beater, beat the 1/4 cup (room temp) butter and granulated sugar until blended. Beat in the little bit of egg, scrape and mix well. Scape and mix again.
In a glass measuring cup (for ease) mix together the vanilla, molasses and the 1/2 cup water. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions alternately wit the molasses mixture (in 2 additions) – starting and ending with the flour. Gently beat to blend between additions. Do not over-mix.
The batter will be thick. Spread it into the prepared pan, and sprinkle all over with the brown sugar.
Stir 1 1/2 cups hot water water with the 5 tablespoons of melted butter and carefully pour this over the top of the batter. There will be a lot of liquid and you’ll be worried about this – but don’t be!
Bake until the gingerbread is cracked on top and bubbly on the bottom – about 38-45 minutes. Scoop the warm pudding cake into bowls and serve with whipped cream…yum. Enjoy-
