Gingerbread Layer Cake

INGREDIENTS INSTRUCTIONS SERVES 12 TO 16

FROSTING Transferring the milk mixture to a wide bowl will ensure

that it cools within 2 hours. A rasp-style grater makes quick
1½ cups (10 1/2 ounces)
work of grating the ginger. Use a 2-cup liquid measuring cup
sugar
to portion the cake batter. Baking four thin cake layers two at
¼ cup (1 1/4 ounces) a time eliminates the need to halve thicker layers. Do not use
all-purpose our blackstrap molasses here, as it is too bitter.

3 tablespoons
cornstarch 1. FOR THE FROSTING: Whisk sugar, our, cornstarch, and
salt together in medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk until
½ teaspoon salt
smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and
1½ cups milk scraping corners of saucepan, until mixture is boiling and is

tablespoons (3 very thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer milk mixture to wide

24
sticks) unsalted bowl and let cool completely, about 2 hours.

butter, softened
2. FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and
2 teaspoons vanilla
heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and our two 8-inch round
extract
cake pans and line pans with parchment paper. Whisk our,
cocoa, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt,
CAKE
pepper, and cayenne together in large bowl. Whisk co ee,
1¾ cups (8 3/4 ounces) molasses, and baking soda in second large bowl until
all-purpose our combined. Add sugar, oil, eggs, and fresh ginger to co ee

¼ cup (3/4 ounce) mixture and whisk until smooth.

unsweetened cocoa
powder 3. Whisk co ee mixture into our mixture until smooth.
Pour 1 1/3 cups batter into each prepared pan. Bake until
2 tablespoons ground
toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 12 to 14
 ginger minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Invert cakes onto wire rack and peel o parchment; reinvert
1½ teaspoons baking
cakes. Wipe pans clean with paper towels. Grease and our
powder
pans and line with fresh parchment. Repeat baking and
1 teaspoon ground cooling process with remaining batter.
cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt 4. Using stand mixer tted with paddle, beat butter on
medium-high speed until light and u y, about 5 minutes.
½ teaspoon ground
Add cooled milk mixture and vanilla; mix on medium speed
white pepper
until combined, scraping down bowl if necessary. Increase
⅛ teaspoon cayenne speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is light and
pepper u y, 3 to 5 minutes.
1 cup brewed co ee
5. Place 1 cake layer on platter or cardboard round. Using
¾ cup molasses
o set spatula, spread ¾ cup frosting evenly over top, right
½ teaspoon baking to edge of cake. Repeat stacking and frosting with 2 more
soda cake layers and 1 1/2 cups frosting. Place nal cake layer on
1½ cups (10 1/2 ounces) top and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides
sugar of cake. Garnish top of cake with crystallized ginger, if using.
Refrigerate cake until frosting is set, about 30 minutes.
¾ cup vegetable oil
(Cake can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 days. Let cake
3 large eggs, beaten come to room temperature before serving.)

2 tablespoons nely
grated fresh ginger

¼ cup chopped
crystallized ginger
(optional)