Gingerbread (Zingerman's)

Restructured from jisaacs1962's LiveJournal Blog.

Zingerman's Gingerbread Recipe

Oven to 350

Prepare bundt pan with butter and flour, or (if nonstick) with cooking spray (or a springform with parchment laid into it and up the sides a bit)

Mix

  1 cup cold espresso (or strong coffee or Guiness Stout)

  1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)

and set aside. Sift together in large mixer bowl

  2 cups all-purpose flour

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  1/2 teaspoon baking soda

  1/2 cup minced crystallized ginger (pro tip: use scissors to make close parallel cuts 95% of the way through a ginger piece; then rotate 90 degrees and cut in other direction)

  1 teaspoon freshly grated long pepper (or pepper plus some nutmeg)

  1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon

  1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cloves

  1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  zest of 1 lemon (or pinch of ground cardamom)

and set aside. In small mixer bowl, whisk together

  3 large eggs or 4 medium eggs

  1 cup packed dark brown sugar

  1 cup granulated sugar

and then whisk in 

  3/4 cup softened butter

Finally add the molasses/espresso mixture and blend well. 

Add wet ingredients to dry and whisk until just combined; pour into bundt pan

Place in oven on middle rack, bake for 45-50 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack 5-10 minutes before removing from pan

Remove cake from pan and allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack. Using a plate to receive the cake helps to prevent breakage.

Dust with 

   confectioners sugar