Description
Ina Garten’s lemon ginger molasses cake blends zesty citrus with warm spices for a sophisticated dessert. Home bakers can create this elegant treat that balances sweet and tangy flavors with simple ingredients and straightforward techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter (113 grams), at room temperature
- ½ cup whole milk (120 ml)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (100 grams), lightly packed
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses (120 ml)
- 1 ½ cups cold heavy cream (360 ml)
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger (4 grams)
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (10 grams), plus extra for serving
- ⅓ cup small-diced crystallized ginger (50 grams), plus extra for serving
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (2 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (2 grams)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (5 ml)
- ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (30 grams)
- 2 tbsps granulated sugar (25 grams)
- 2 tbsps creme fraiche (30 grams)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round pan, line with parchment, then re-grease and dust with flour for perfect cake release.
- Butter Mixture: Cream butter and light brown sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Scrape bowl edges to ensure uniform blending.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly. Incorporate molasses and lemon zest until the mixture becomes smooth, accepting a slightly curdled appearance.
- Dry Ingredient Combination: Sift flour, ground ginger, baking soda, and kosher salt together, ensuring even distribution of dry components.
- Batter Formation: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture alternately with milk, using low mixer speed. Gently fold crystallized ginger into the batter using a rubber spatula for consistent texture.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, leveling the surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick that should emerge clean when inserted into the center.
- Cooling Stage: Rest cake in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to reach room temperature, allowing flavors to settle and texture to stabilize.
- Whipped Cream Preparation: Combine cold heavy cream, confectioners’ sugar, granulated sugar, creme fraiche, and vanilla extract in a mixer bowl with whisk attachment.
- Cream Finishing: Whip mixture on high speed until soft peaks form, creating a light and airy topping with a delicate texture.
- Final Presentation: Adorn cooled cake with whipped cream, garnishing with additional crystallized ginger and freshly grated lemon zest to elevate flavor and visual appeal.
Notes
- Precise Ingredient Temperature: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature for smoother mixing and better cake texture.
- Gentle Mixing Technique: Fold dry ingredients slowly to prevent overmixing, which can create a dense, tough cake.
- Moisture Preservation Tip: Cool cake completely before adding whipped cream to maintain optimal cake structure and prevent cream melting.
- Flavor Enhancement Strategy: Toast crystallized ginger briefly before adding to intensify its warm, spicy notes and provide more depth to the cake’s overall taste profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg