Angela’s Amazing Gingerbread Cakes (From Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook (2005))

The recipe below makes 1 dozen regular-sized muffins or one 20 cm (8 inch)* round cake. I have halved this recipe successfully.

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg (if halving the recipe, use a small egg)
• 2/3 cup un-sulfured molasses
• 1-1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 pieces crystallized ginger, thinly sliced lengthwise, for garnish
• Chocolate Ganache

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, tapping out excess flour; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together the baking soda and boiling water; set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg, and beat until combined. Add molasses, fresh ginger, and reserved baking soda mixture; beat until combined. (The batter will look curdled but will come together once the flour is added.) Add the flour mixture, and beat until well combined.
3. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each about halfway. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in the centre of a cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto rack to cool completely.
4. Set rack over a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of Chocolate Ganache over each cake, letting some drip down the sides. Garnish with a couple of strips of crystallized ginger. Once glazed, cakes can refrigerated, in air-tight containers, for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

*updated September 2018