All-I-Want-For-Christmas Gingerbread with Hard Sauce

By Tamipri

Ingredients

• Hard Sauce:
• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. dark molasses
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tb. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 c. boiling water
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 Tb. fresh lemon juice, or heavy cream
• Whipped Cinnamon Cream:
• 2 c. chilled heavy cream
• 1/4 c. + 2 Tb. sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tsp.-2 Tb. ground cinnamon

Details

Servings 10
Adapted from rufenacht.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x21/2" springform pan; make sure the bottom fits securely and the latch is properly closed. Set aside. In a large bowl, using the electric mixer set on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the molasses until well blended, scraping the bowl with a spatula. Stir in the eggs until well combined.

Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves into the molasses mixture, then beat until smooth. In a small bowl, combine the boiling water and baking soda. The mixture will foam and subside. Add the water to the batter, beating until well combined. (Use a spatula to make sure the batter at the bottom has been thoroughly mixed.) It will be thinner than most cake batters. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes, then release the pan sides and slide the cake onto a serving plate. Serve surrounded by containers of Hard Sauce and Whipped Cinnamon Cream.

For Hard Sauce: In a mixing bowl, using the electric mixer set on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Beat in the lemon juice until blended. Set aside in a cool place for 1 hour before serving. Serve over warm gingerbread. Refrigerate any remaining sauce in a covered container for up to a week.

For Whipped Cinnamon Cream: In a chilled bowl, using the electric mixer or whisk, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the sugar and vanilla and sprinkle on the cinnamon. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.