Friday, December 10, 2010

Gingerbread Snacking Cake


Well, I finally finished my pumpkin quest (at least until next year) and have now shifted gears into holiday mode. To kick it off, I made Martha Stewart's gingerbread snacking cake.


Just the scent of it alone is heavenly and, like all spicy baked goods, the aroma and flavor deepens the day after you bake it (so if you can exercise a tiny bit of patience, it will be worth it). It's the kind of treat that just says, "Christmas." Even more importantly, it's delicious. I took it to my church's "Break the Fast" activity and the people there ate it up. I would definitely recommend putting the white chocolate on top. Not only does it look pretty, but it really adds something to the flavor of the cake and makes it twice as good.

On another note, I'll be celebrating my birthday tomorrow. While I won't say how old I'll be, I will say that I'm one year closer to thirty. Hopefully, that means I'm a year wiser too.


Gingerbread Snacking Cake
(adapted from Martha Stewart)


8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (I substituted 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger)
2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
white chocolate chips, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch cake pan; set aside. In a bowl, combine boiling water and baking soda; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, ground spices, salt, and baking powder; set aside.


In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter until light. Beat in brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in molasses and grated ginger, baking-soda mixture, and flour mixture. Beat in eggs.


Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and decorate with the melted white chocolate.

This recipe is linked to:
Prairie Story's Recipe Swap


Week 11 Twelve Weeks of Christmas:

44 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Lisa :)
    That's a beautiful Gingerbread cookies.

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  2. Happy Birthday, Lisa! Love the gingerbread - so pretty with the white chocolate.

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  3. Happy Birthday!!! Your snacking cake looks professional and soooo yummy! :) :)

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  4. I agree--gingerbread has such a great flavor! And the way it makes the kitchen smell can't be beat!! Happy birthday--hope you have a fabulous day! :-)

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  5. The topping makes the gingerbread snack cake look so delicious. That is the biggest compliment when you take a tray of something to a gathering and you don't take any home. This looks like a real winner! Happy birthday and enjoy your day!

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  6. Yummy! Have a great birthday tomorrow, Lisa!

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  7. Happy birthday to you:) and that is a lovely cookie recipe.

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  8. These look delicious!!!! Love the decoration on top too! And happy birthday!!!

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  9. These look beautiful Lisa! I love the way you've arranged them on the plate too. Plus they sound good... it's just a win win all the way around!

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  10. I love gingerbread! In fact, sometimes I go to Jason's Deli just so I eat those tasty little muffins!

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  11. These look awesome, Lisa. Nice job decorating them.

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  12. Beautiful little cakes! And, how fun - my birthday is today! Happy early birthday to you! :-)

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  13. Great photo! I love gingerbread. Perfect!

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  14. The icing design looks so pretty on the gingerbread! My birthday is the day after yours, but I'm way past 30!!! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow!

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  15. Happy Birthday!

    Beautiful job on these. The design on the top is just lovely. Gingerbread...I crave it.

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  16. Birthday greeting dear Lisa! Hope your day was delicious! I'm on a bit of a gingerbread kick myself. This is looking mighty fine to me right now!

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  17. I refuse to bake anything at Christmas time without cinnamon...but the gingerbread and nutmeg just make it that much more special. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

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  18. Mmmm...I love gingerbread! I'll have to try this one. Love the white chocolate on top. And Happy Birthday!!!

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  19. sounds great, i'm looking for a good gingerbread cake recipe! may try these soon :)

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  20. Lisa, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! I hope you did something fun to celebrate. :o) I love gingerbread and I love it even more with white chocolate. Looks wonderful!

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  21. I love gingerbread cake. Yours sounds so good. I wish I had some right now with a cup of tea:)

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  22. That's look so Delicious
    I will try to do it

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  23. Happy Birthday Lisa!! I hope u had the most wonderful day tomorrow! You cake looks wonderful. I love the icing on them!

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  24. I'm so excited to have found this post! It's the perfect companion to all my Christmas Cookie needs! I am having a Christmas Party next week so I plan to be very busy in the kitchen making bite-sized sweets and tapas for everyone. These definitely should make the menu- especially since I can make them ahead of time and they will taste even better!

    Love the post! Thank you for sharing!

    <3Marea @ TheFoodieFixx

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  25. Just the name sounds delicious and you made it look that way too :)


    US Masala

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  26. Happy early birthday! The snack cakes look delicious(:

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  27. This looks so good. I just want to take a bite! :)

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  28. Definitely a pretty cake. The icing almost looks like lace.

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  29. These little cakes look so delicious! Definitely going to try to make these soon! And hey, Happy Birthday!

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  30. Happy belated birthday!! And thos cakes looks ridiculously delicious. :)

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  31. Oh yeah...that one's a keeper!!!

    Lots of yummy love,
    Alex aka Ma What's For Dinner
    www.mawhats4dinner.com

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  32. Yummy! If you weren't so far away I'd be over for some snacking cake. You visited my blog once and I mentioned Sugar Cube Houses. I just posted one picture today so head over and check it out. My friend made it so I can't take all the credit:)
    ~Becki

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  33. I love the idea of gingerbread snacking cake. It looks delicious. Your blog is beautiful!

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  34. Hello lovely!! Happy Birthday!!!

    If I don't get to visit your blog until the new year (because I'm going away for the holidays and therefore will be offline), have a MERRY CHRISTMAS and happy holidays and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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  35. That one looked exceptionally inviting! Gingerbread is one of my favorites and i love to mix it with cheesecake paired with a cup of tea and were tea party already. Happy Birthday!

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  36. Mmm I have really been craving gingerbread lately! Love how you decorated this!

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  37. What an excellent ideia! Love this recipe! Sounds delicious.

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  38. Happy BIrthday Lisa! And your gingerbread cakes turned out marvelous.

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  39. Happy Birthday!

    I love gingerbread but hardly ever make or eat it! I need to change that starting with this recipe.
    ~ingrid

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  40. Gingerbread cooking fills the house with such a warm, cozy Christmasy smell

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  41. Oops, I'm late! Happy Belated Birthday, Lisa! Hope you had a good birthday celebration. Your gingerbread cake looks pretty and delicious! A cup of tea would be perfect with these!

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  42. They look so pretty and delicious.

    Happy B-lated birthday to you!

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  43. Wow, these are gorgeous! I know Christmas is over, but I'll have to remember this the next holiday season!

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