Chocolate Gingerbread

       From the blog For Love of the Table

2 1/4 c. all purpose flour (260 grams)

1 t. baking soda

4 T. natural cocoa powder

2 t. ground cinnamon

1 T. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

8 T. unsalted butter

1 c. packed golden brown sugar

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk

2/3 c. molasses

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare the pan(s): line muffin pan with paper liners; butter and flour loaf pans; butter, line with parchment, butter the paper and then flour 8-inch round cake pans. Recipe makes 24 cup cakes, or 2 round cake layers or 4 mini loaves (or a combination thereof).

Sift together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.

Cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl in after the first addition. Combine the buttermilk and molasses. Add the flour mixture in three additions alternately with the buttermilk-molasses mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips with the final addition of the dry ingredients.

Spread the batter in the pans and bake until springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes for large pans and loaves. About 20 to 25 minutes for cup cakes. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

(Recipe adapted from Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth by Jill O'Connor

)

Chocolate Honey Glaze (from Cocolat

): Place 3 oz. of chopped bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl along with 2 oz. of unsalted butter (cut into pieces) and 1 T. of honey. Microwave on medium (50% power) until almost melted. Stir gently until completely smooth. Cool until the glaze mounds briefly before disappearing when dropped from a spoon. Pour over cake.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (from The Vineyard Kitchen

): Place 4 oz. of unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer along with 4 1/2 oz. of confectioners' sugar, 1/8 t. kosher salt and 1/4 t. vanilla. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy—about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl. Add 8 oz. cream cheese and beat until incorporated—about 20 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and drizzle in 2 T. of pure maple syrup. Beat until smooth—about 15 seconds. Makes more than enough for 12 cup cakes.

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