FRESH GINGER CAKE
Courtesy of Chef John Grainger at 1060 Restaurant
4 OUNCESFRESH GINGER (PEELED AND MINCED EXTREMELY FINE)
1 CUPMOLASSES
1 CUPGRANULATED SUGAR
1 CUPVEGETABLE OIL
2 ½ CUPAP FLOUR
1 TSPGROUND CINNAMON
½ TSPGROUND CLOVE
½ TSPFINELY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
1 CUPWATER
2 TSPBAKING SODA
2 EACHWHOLE EGGS (AT ROOM TEMPERATURE)
METHOD:
TURN YOUR OVEN ON TO 350 DEGREES. NEXT, TAKE A 9 ½” SPRING FORM PAN AND CUT A PIECE OF WAX OR PARCHMENT PAPER TO LINE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN WITH. YOU CAN ACHIEVE THIS BY TRACING THE PAPER AROUND THE PAN AND THEN CUTTING IT WITH SCISSORS. NOW SPRAY THE ENTIRE PAN ON THE BOTTOM AND SIDES VERY WELL WITH PAN SPRAY. PLACE THE CUT PAPER INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN AND SPRAY THE PAPER AS WELL
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, MIX TOGETHER THE GINGER, MOLASSES, SUGAR AND OIL. IN ANOTHER MEDIUM BOWL, SIFT TOGETHER THE FLOUR, CINNAMON, CLOVE AND BLACK PEPPER. NOW IN A SMALL SAUCEPOT, BRING THE WATER TO A BOIL OVER HIGH HEAT. STIR THE BAKING SODA INTO THE WATER TO DISSOLVE. NOW POUR THE WATER MIXTURE INTO THE MOLASSES MIXTURE AND BLEND WELL WITH A WHISK.
IN THREE SEPARATE STAGES, MIX THE FLOUR MIXTURE INTO THE MOLASSES MIXTURE UNTIL EVERYTHING IS VERY WELL COMBINED. NOW WHISK THE EGGS IN VERY WELL. AT THIS POINT, POUR THE BATTER INTO THE PREPARED SPRING FORM PAN AND BAKE FOR ONE HOUR MAKING SURE TO NEVER INTERRUPT THE PROCESS (ESPECIALLY BY OPENING THE OVEN DOOR!).
CHECK THE CENTER OF THE CAKE WITH A TOOTHPICK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT COMES OUT CLEAN. IF NOT, TURN THE HEAT DOWN TO 300 AND BAKE FOR ANOTHER 10-15 MINUTES. COOL ON A COOLING RACK FOR AT LEAST 2 HOURS.
THIS CAKE WILL YIELD 8 LARGE OR 12 SMALL CUTS. FOR AN ADDED DELIGHT, WARM THE SLICES UP IN THE OVEN OR MICROWAVE AND SERVE WITH POWDERED SUGAR AND/OR CRÈME ANGLAISE. ENJOY!!!!!!
