Ingredients
- FOR CAKE:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups dark molasses
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- FOR CREME BRULEE FILING:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
- 6 egg yolks
- FOR SCOTCH WHISKEY BUTTERCREAM:
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 egg whites
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup scotch whiskey
Preparation
Step 1
FOR FILLING:
1. Preheat oven to 300. Place a 9inch glass pie plate in large baking dish. Fill baking dish with hot water to a depth of 1/2 inch.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup cream, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves. Cook over medium low heat until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat.
3. In a small bowl, combine gelatin and remaining 1 cup cream; let stand for 2 minutes. Add to hot cream mixture, stirring to dissolve.
4. In another small bowl, whisk yolkd. Pour 1 cup hot cream mixture into yo9lks, whisking constantly. Add yolk mixture to remaining hot cream mixture, whisking constantly. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl, discarding solids. Pour mixture into prepared pie plate.
5. Bake for 1 hour or until set and firm. Let stand at room temperature for 30 mintues or until cool enough to handle. Remove from baking dish. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.
FOR CAKE:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray 3 9inch baking dishes with nonstick baking spray with flour.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter, 1 cups granulated sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time; beat well after each addition.
3. In a medium bowl, combine boiling water, molasses, and baking soda; stir well.
4. In another large bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with molasses mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared pans.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 mintues. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.
6. Spread half of creme brulee filling over one cake layer, leaving a 1/2 inch border; sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Using a kitchen torch, wave flame over fililng until sugar carmelizes. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow sugar to harden. Top with a second cake layer, and repeat procedure. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread scotch whiskey buttercream on top and sides of cake. Store cake, covered, in refrigerator up to 3 days.
FOR FROSTING:
1. In the top of a double boiler, whisk sugar and egg whites until combined. Cook over simmering water until mixture reaches 140 on candy thermometer; do not stir. Immediately pour mixture into the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer. Beat at high speed for 10 mintues; reduce speed to medium low.
2. With mixture running, add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Add scotch whiskey, beating until combined. Keep buttercream at room temperature until ready to frost cake.