ISO Dark, Moist Gingerbread recipe

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CWS4322

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The DH's grandma made the most amazing gingerbread. It was dark, moist, in a 9x13 pan. She gave me the recipe, but I lost it. Because of the disfunctionality in that family, no one has the recipe--she took it to her grave? I hope not. I know there was molasses in it, ginger (obviously) and that is all I can remember. It was very moist and very dark. She lived in Nova Scotia. I only made it once. My bad. Does anyone have a gingerbread recipe that might be like this? Although I'm still mad as a wet hen at the DH because his dog killed my two hens, I'd love to surprise him with this on Thanksgiving (Alix-LP-Rock--do you have recipe for this???).
 
I used this recipe for the gingerbread and used the cream cheese frosting recipe. It was just like I remembered getting at church and school bake sales way back when.

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Recipe (click for recipe)

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Here's an old recipe I really like. The crystallized ginger adds a nice textural aspect and a burst of flavor.

Gingerbread

2½ C Flour
2½ tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Salt
¾ C Chopped Crystallized Ginger (approx. 5 Oz.)
2 tsp Flour
½ C Unsalted Butter (rm. temp.)
½ C Golden Brown Sugar-Packed
1 C Light Molasses
1 C Boiling Water
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 Egg (beaten to blend)

Preheat the oven to 375º F. Lightly butter a 13x9x2 baking pan.

Sift the 2½ cups of flour, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt into a medium bowl.

Mix the crystallized ginger with the 2 teaspoons of flour in a small bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Mix the molasses, the boiling water and the baking soda in another medium bowl to blend. Stir it into the butter/sugar mixture.

Stir in the dry ingredients and then the egg and the crystallized ginger mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350º F. and bake for about 12 more minutes. Test for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake. It is done when the toothpick comes out clean.

Cool the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a rack and
cool it completely.
 
OK, here is the gingerbread cake I've been using. It was originally Ishbel's (here on DC) but I've modified things a bit.


1.25 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar (darker sugar for stickier cake!)
3/4 cup molasses and fill to 1 cup with golden syrup
1 egg
1 cup milk

Set the oven to 350º. Line the base of a 8x8 square cake tin with non-stick baking parchment, and butter the sides.
Sift the flour with baking soda, ginger, cinnamon.
Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Now beat in the molasses and golden syrup, then a heaped tablespoonful of the flour mixture followed by the egg.
Beat in the remaining flour, followed by the milk, until the mixture forms a smooth batter.
Scrape into the prepared tin. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until firm to the touch. Test by inserting a skewer deep into the centre. If it comes out clean then it is done. Let the gingerbread cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.

I also make gingerbread cookies, but the batter could make a nice flattish pan of cake.

4.5 cups flour
3/4 cup molasses fill to 1 cup with golden syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 cup lard
3 eggs
1 tsp each of: cloves, ginger, baking soda, baking powder.

Cream lard and sugar and pour in molasses while creaming. Add eggs one at a time til well blended then slowly add flour. Batter will be quite light. Either scoop cookies onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 mins at 350º or pat whole batch of dough into a cookie sheet and bake for 20 mins at 350º. Watch time as I've not done the whole dough thing for some time and can't remember the timing well. Its done when it looks dry on top.
 
Alix said:
Golden syrup is sort of between molasses and simple syrup. I buy Roger's here. You could use corn syrup if you like though.

I remember golden syrup from summers in Canada. Don't remember the brand, but I used to sneak the occasional spoonful as a kid. It had a distinctive flavor, totally yumcious.
 
Last edited:
I remember golden syrup from summers in Canada. Don't remember the brand, but I used to sneak the occasional spoonful as a kid. It had a distinctive flavor, totally yumcious.

I've only ever seen Rogers, but hey, I don't go east very often. Great stuff. Awesome on porridge too!
 
Golden syrup is one of many options for liquid sweeteners. There's no need to go crazy trying to find it. These recipes should work with just about any of them.
 
Here is my recipe. I just made one the other day. I don't frost it, so you are on your own about that.:chef:
Spicy Gingerbread



Ingredients


  • Cooking oil spray
  • 1 cup Canola Oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt(pinch)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • Serving suggestions: Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Lightly spray oil in a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and molasses. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
 
Here is my recipe. I just made one the other day. I don't frost it, so you are on your own about that.:chef:
Spicy Gingerbread



Ingredients


  • Cooking oil spray
  • 1 cup Canola Oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt(pinch)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • Serving suggestions: Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Lightly spray oil in a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and molasses. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
She didn't ever serve hers frosted (according to the DH). Sometimes she dusted it with powdered sugar. So many great recipes...now I have to pick one!
 
Pick me! Pick me!
:LOL: I'm thinking of taking inspiration from a couple of the recipes. I rather doubt she used crystallized ginger (location and being not a terribly creative cook), or cardamon (again, location, ethnic background, cost--my grandma used cardamon, but that was genetic). She "might" have used golden syrup. Don't know if she even knew there was such a thing as white pepper. I suspect she used blackstrap molasses, but I could be wrong. Stay tuned!
 
Thank you for sharing your recipe Patty :)

Here is my recipe. I just made one the other day. I don't frost it, so you are on your own about that.:chef:
Spicy Gingerbread



Ingredients


  • Cooking oil spray
  • 1 cup Canola Oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup molasses
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with a fork
  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt(pinch)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • Serving suggestions: Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Lightly spray oil in a 9 by 13 by 2-inch pan. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar and molasses. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth.
In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and cloves. Whisk the molasses mixture into the flour mixture until evenly combined.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk the hot water into the batter until just combined. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
 
All of the recipes look wonderful. We don't frost ours, just a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Think I'll garnish the next one I make with crystallized ginger. Yum.
 
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