If you're looking to wow a crowd, a decadent chocolate dessert will never disappoint. And 'round this time of year, gingerbread is the fastest way to touch the holiday [1] spirit. Why not combine the two and make a chocolate gingerbread cake? Gift these basic and satisfying chocolate gingerbread bars, or pull out a showstopping gingerbread cake that's topped with chocolate ganache and crystallized ginger. Either way, you're sure to bring loads of merriment and joy. To see both recipes, .
From Everyday Food [3]
Ingredients
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for pan
3/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin-pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream until smooth. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Using paper overhang, lift gingerbread from pan. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares.
- Before serving, and once cool, dust bars with confectioners sugar, if desired. (To store, keep in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 3 days.)
Makes 16 bars.
Print recipe with images [3] | without images [3]
From Bon Appétit [5]
Ingredients
Cake:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
Glaze:
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
Directions
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch square metal baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment.
- Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Mix warm water and baking soda in small bowl until baking soda dissolves.
- Using electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, molasses, eggs, and fresh ginger in large bowl until well blended.
- Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with water mixture in 2 additions, beating until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool on rack 20 minutes.
- Run knife around edge of cake to loosen. Invert cake onto rack; cool. Peel off parchment.
Glaze
- Bring first 3 ingredients to simmer in medium saucepan.
- Remove from heat. Add chocolate and vanilla; stir until smooth. Let stand until cool but still pourable, about 20 minutes.
- Place cake on rack set atop baking sheet. Reserve 1/2 cup glaze. Pour remaining glaze over cake, spreading with spatula to coat top and sides. Chill cake and reserved glaze until reserved glaze is just firm enough to pipe, about 1 hour.
- Transfer reserved glaze to pastry bag fitted with 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe 5 diagonal lines atop cake, spacing evenly.
- Cluster crystallized ginger atop lines.
Serves 9 to 12.
Print recipe with images [5] | without images [5]