Christmas Gift #3

My husband loves beer.  (This sounds like it is going to be a heart-warming Christmas story, right? )  So much so, he is ordering all the necessary paraphernalia to start brewing his own, thanks to my brother-in-law.   Thanks, bro!

So, not only did he build a fabulous hoop house for growing cool weather veggies, but he is also planning on getting bees for a hive in March.   And, now he is planning on brewing hooch!

We are going off the grid, man.

When I saw a recipe for the famous Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread and that it included Guinness Stout in its list of ingredients, I knew I had to make it.

This cake would make a great gift to the beer connoisseur (along with a bottle of Guinness).

 

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Adapted from Gourmet

1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter Bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour, baking powder and spices in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and sugars. Add in oil and continue whisking while adding molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into Bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream.

Cooks’ note:   Be sure to cover entire pan with butter and flour.   It has a sticky crust and will stick to the pan if you don’t. Like the chocolate decadence cake, the gingerbread is better if made a day ahead.   It will keep three days, covered, at room temperature.

You’ll notice there are only two left.

This makes a moist and caramel- like cake.   I love the spices in gingerbread so this is one of my faves.

The perfect presentation for your favorite beer connoisseur .

Serving suggestion.

This cake features the best of holiday flavors (especially if you love beer!).

7 comments to Christmas Gift #3

  • You definitely have mny attention. We are Guinness lovers at my place. Looks so incredibly moist.

  • Brewing beer is a fine art. Your hubby will have fun making his own. He should start saving his bottles now so he has some for when the brew is done. I’m more inclined to have your cake, I bet the Guinness gives the cake a real wow factor.

  • Liz

    My hubby loves beer, too…I need to go to one of the nicer liquor stores and pick him up something new for Christmas. Your cake looks marvelous…love those spices…perfect for the holidays!

  • I’ve heard of guiness chocolate cake, very cool that you made gingerbread with it! Also cool that you’re going to have your own honey-so healthy, and great for allergies. Speaking of alchohol and honey, a friend that has her own honey farm made some honey wine and we just opened a bottle from their 2008 batch-very yummy!

  • Aside from being such a cute post, your gingerbread looks fabulous!

  • Eliot,
    This looks yummy. I actually just helped at an English Christmas feast cooking class and we made steamed gingerbread pudding, which I had never done. I’ve always baked mine like yours above.

    I love that you are going off grid like us. It’s nutty what these husbands lead us into!! Mine just brought home another boxful of deer meat. My freezer is stuffed! Our neighbors have honey bees and are just starting to sell it. We trade them eggs for honey. I love the idea of making mead – that would be totally cool. I want to hear more if you do it.

    I’m so glad you came by my blog the other day. It was wonderful to see your comments. Have a Merry Christmas.