Prep Time : 20 Minutes | Cook Time : 30 Minutes | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy
If you have a crowd to feed, or just really really like gingerbread, then this is the recipe for you. Acres of tender spicy gingerbread lightly glazed with bourbon. Because bourbon makes everything better. Fact.
This was the recipe we had growing up which I have tweaked and tweaked until it’s just right. You’re welcome. Just melt, fold, bake and drizzle – what could be simpler? I know it says 20 minutes to prepare, but most of that is waiting for the mixture to cool a bit. Just make a cup of tea and check your internet things…
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with baking paper. If you make two sharp folds on each side then the sides won’t fall into the batter.
Sift the flour and baking soda together and set aside. Put the butter, molasses, spices and fresh ginger into a medium saucepan.
Melt together over a medium heat then bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar. Leave the mixture to cool a bit then add the milk. Test it with your finger and if it’s warm but not hot whisk in the eggs one at a time. It needs to cool enough that the eggs won’t cook as soon as they go in and leave gooby bits of egg in the mix. Add half the sifted dry ingredients and fold together. Repeat with the other half. The batter will be very liquid – don’t panic! Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until it springs back when pressed gently in the centre. It will darken quite a bit because of the molasses.
Leave it to cool partly while you make the glaze. Whisk all the ingredients for the glaze together until smooth. Pour over the still warm gingerbread. Spread it around a bit to get an even coating that goes to the edges. Some of it will run down the sides – all the better for the people who like edges (i.e. the cool kids). If you prefer a thicker glaze just add a little more icing sugar until it’s the consistency you like.
You can cut it up and eat it at any point from now on really. Or wait for some friends to come over. But there’s a lot so no one will miss a piece or two. You need to test it for quality control anyway right?
This gingerbread is still great 4 or 5 days later, although the glaze will slowly absorb over time and become one with the cake. Ohmmmm.
Molasses Gingerbread with Ginger + Bourbon Glaze
Prep Time : 20 mins | Cook Time : 30 mins | Total Time : 1 hour | Difficulty : Easy | Makes : 1 x 9 by 13 pan
Spicy tender gingerbread topped with a bourbon kick!
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 115 gm | 4 oz | 2 sticks butter
- if using unsalted butter add 1/2 tsp salt, otherwise 1/4 tsp
- 160 gm | 5.7 oz | 1/2 cup molasses
- 2 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger root (optional but worth it)
- 240 gm | 8.6 oz | 1 metric cup | 1 US cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
- 250 ml | 8.9 fl oz | 1 metric cup | 1 US cup plus 1 tbsp milk
- 2 eggs
- 320 gm | 11.4 oz | 2 metric cups | 2 US cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour (or one cup each all purpose and wholemeal)
- 2 tsp baking soda
For the glaze:
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp bourbon (or lemon juice for the kiddos)
- 160 gm | 5.7 oz | 1 metric cup | 1 US cup plus 1 tbsp lightly scooped icing sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with baking paper.
Sift the flour and baking soda together and set aside. Put the butter, molasses, spices and fresh ginger into a medium saucepan.
Melt together over a medium heat then bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sugar. Leave the mixture to cool a bit then add the milk. Test it with your finger and if it’s warm but not hot whisk in the eggs one at a time. It needs to cool enough that the eggs won’t cook as soon as they go in and leave gooby bits of egg in the mix. Add half the sifted dry ingredients and fold together. Repeat with the other half. The batter will be very liquid – don’t panic! Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until it springs back when pressed gently in the centre. It will darken quite a bit because of the molasses.
Leave it to cool partly while you make the glaze. Whisk all the ingredients for the glaze together until smooth. Pour over the still warm gingerbread. If you prefer a thicker glaze just add a little more icing sugar until it’s the consistency you like.
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Wow!! Looks Yummy!!
Xoxo,
Love from http://www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}
Thanks Trang!
I never thought to add bourbon but now I can’t stop thinking about a ginger bourbon glaze-on everything! 😀
I really like it for baking – has a mellow caramelly flavour that goes with almost everything – testing some onion jam this weekend might even add a splash to that too!