Fresh Ginger Cake

Today I´m celebrating a birthday. A very special one. And there´s only one cake that immediately comes to my mind. When my brother F. first tasted this cake, he said `This is the best cake you ever made, and I mean ever´. So I guess it´s a no brainer right? 

He loved ginger beyond logic and made me love it. This cake is dark and spicy with lots of fresh ginger. Looks deceptively simple, but is unique, with character and depth. Memorable. Very much like my brother.

 

He taught me not to quit and follow my dreams, among many other things.

An extraordinary cake for an extraordinary, and much admired, person.

I dedicate this post to everyone who has suffered a loss.  Even though the grief is ours to cope with, there´s always someone to hold your hand along the way. Even if it´s a virtual hand.

FRESH GINGER CAKE

barely adapted from  Room for Dessert  by David Lebovitz

Note: since the molasses I had was very strong I used ¾ cup in combination with ¼ cup honey; also decreased the cloves to ¼ teaspoon. This batter would make a great pear upside-down cake.

Ingredients

4  ounces (110 g) fresh ginger

¾ cup molasses

¼ cup honey

1  cup sugar

1  cup vegetable oil (I use sunflower)

2 ½  cups flour

1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½  teaspoon ground black pepper

1  cup water

2  teaspoons baking soda

2  eggs, room tº

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9 by 3-inch round cake pan or spring form pan with a circle of parchment paper.

Peel, slice and chop the ginger very fine with a knife or grater.

Mix together the molasses, sugar and oil. In another bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.

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

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 tester inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake is browning too quickly before it is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.

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