Stout beer adds richness to this gingerbread bundt cake

For our gingerbread bundt cake, the standard liquid combination of mild molasses and water seemed lacklustre. (File Photo: Mike Chaput/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

In our opinion, gingerbread is only worth eating if its flavour is unmistakably bold and spicy. For our gingerbread bundt cake, the standard liquid combination of mild molasses and water seemed lacklustre.

Robust molasses had more presence in our scaled-up cake, and we replaced the water with stout for a deeper flavour profile. The beer gave the cake a malty tang that tasters loved. Powdered ginger provided a spicy kick, and a little cinnamon and allspice contributed warm notes.

Blooming the spices in melted butter–a technique the test kitchen uses for savory spiced dishes–intensified their flavour, but tasters still wanted more ginger. A bit of grated fresh ginger added another layer of heat that the dried spice alone couldn’t muster. And another traditionally savory ingredient, black pepper, added a mild bite that further enhanced the ginger flavour.

We used the glaze as one final opportunity to turn up the heat by mixing a little ground ginger in with the confectioners’ sugar and adding a few tablespoons of ginger ale to thin the glaze to just the right consistency. Guinness is the test kitchen’s preferred brand of stout for this cake.

Be sure to use finely ground black pepper here. Do not use blackstrap molasses in this recipe. An equal amount of orange or lemon juice can be substituted for the ginger ale in the glaze.

BOLD AND SPICY GINGERBREAD BUNDT CAKE

Servings: 12

Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes

Cake:

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

3/4 cup robust or full molasses

3/4 cup stout beer

Glaze:

1 3/4 cups (7 ounces) confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons ginger ale

1 teaspoon ground ginger

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 F. Spray 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl.

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let butter mixture cool slightly.

Whisk eggs, sugar, and fresh ginger together in large bowl until light and frothy. Stir in melted butter mixture, molasses, and beer until incorporated. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and whisk until no lumps remain.

Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula.

Gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Invert cake onto rack, remove pan, and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

For the glaze: Whisk sugar, ginger ale, and ginger together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set, about 15 minutes, before serving. (Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)

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Nutrition information per serving: 487 calories; 148 calories from fat; 17 g fat (10 g saturated; 1 g trans fats); 111 mg cholesterol; 214 mg sodium; 80 g carbohydrate; 1 g fiber; 58 g sugar; 5 g protein.