Gingerbread Cake

“Had I but a penny in the world, thou
shouldst have it for gingerbread.”

William Shakespeare
(1564-1616)

Traditional -- yet extravagant -- Gingerbread Cake

Once upon a time, a variety of ancient people would make a honey and ginger cake as a special
treat and only later did molasses replace honey. Both the ancient Romans and the Chinese were
 fond of this delicacy. In the European middle ages, Gingerbread was served as a medicine to aid
in digestion.

It has been written that George Washington’s mother served Gingerbread to the Marquis de Lafayette
 in 1784 on his visit with the President. Whether as a Christmas season cake or the popular cookie,
 gingerbread has been around America for some time.

Over the decades, recipes change sometimes improving and sometimes taking a second place
 to product availability, cost and time in preparation. Gingerbread cake recipes fall into two basic
 categories: first is the time honored cooking method by ‘fire & water’ ( immersing a mold in water
and cooking with lots of steps) and the second is throwing the mixture into a 9 by 9 pan and baking
and finally topping off the cake with some icing. Neither method appeals to me. The first method
comes from a time when ovens didn’t exist and the second was developed when time and cost
was the major concern.

But as has been said, ‘we want recipes that were developed after a period of reflection where
 considerations of time and cost invested are secondary to the extravagancy and wonder
experienced.” Is this a bit over the top? However, you get the idea.

The best way to mix spices before adding them
into the recipe is to place them in a small
container and shake... this is a very old technique

Cake spices (all of the traditional)

4 ½  teaspoons Ginger
2 teaspoon Cinnamon

½ teaspoon Cardamom

½  teaspoon Allspice

½  teaspoon Cloves

½  teaspoon Nutmeg

¼ teaspoon Mace

2 teaspoons Orange zest

The Cake

 3 cups flour

7 eggs

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 oz. Knotts Orange Marmalade (1/4 cup)*

½ cup honey

½ cup heavy cream

* I like what adding a little preserves does to a cake recipe… makes it nicely moist and never dry.

Glaze or Hard Sauce

½ cup heavy cream
¼  cup butter
1 vanilla bean
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon each of brandy ( Grand Marinier)
1 tablespoon rye whiskey
1 teaspoon orange zest
¼ teaspoon ginger

Cooking Temperature

350 degrees for 1 ½ hours

Cool for 30 minutes

Add Hard sauce before serving

when it came time to take a picture... someone(s)
had some before I could snap the shot!

I hope you enjoyed it, sweetheart!