Ginger Cake

Source: David Lebovitz’s Fresh Ginger Cake

Ingredients

• 4 oz fresh ginger, peeled, sliced, and chopped or grated
• 1 cup mild molasses, can cut with corn syrup if too strong
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil, preferably peanut
• 2½ cups flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs, at room temperature

Method

1. Position oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x3 round cake pan or a 9½″springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.

2. Peel, slice, and chop the ginger very fine with a knife (or use grater). Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.

3. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, stir in the baking soda, and then mix the hot water into the molasses mixture. Stir in the ginger.

4. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the batter. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly before the cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.

5. Cool the cake for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Remove the cake from pan and peel off the parchment paper.

Notes

Great served with whipped cream and lemon curd!