This delicious cake is perfect for ginger lovers. Avoid woody, dry ginger, and instead look for young, moist ginger, which will impart a zippy flavor. It’s great on its own, though few guests will turn down a dollop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on their plates.
Citrus-Ginger Cake with Orange Liqueur Glaze
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
3 eggs
1/3 cup finely grated fresh ginger
2 Tbs. grated orange zest
1/2 cup Cointreau
Candied orange zest for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan, tapping out excess flour.
In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter and cream and heat gently until butter is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together 1/2 cup brown sugar and molasses on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. On medium-low speed, slowly pour cream mixture into brown sugar mixture, followed by flour mixture. Mix until well combined. Stir in ginger and orange zest.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until just cooked through and a thin skewer inserted into middle of cake comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Do not overcook or cake will become dry. Release and lift off pan sides, and slide cake off pan bottom onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
Transfer cake to a serving plate. To make glaze, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and Cointreau and heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and brush glaze on top of cake. Allow cake to rest for 1-2 hours. Garnish with candied orange zest and serve. Serves 8.