Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread Cake

This is Smitten Kitchen's adaptation of the Gramercy Tavern gingerbread cake. It is intense!!! Deeply flavored and strongly spiced, this is nothing like blank gingerbread you find in stores. Caution; it's addictive!
1 cup oatmeal stout or Guinness Stout
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.
  • Use the largest high sided pan you have. The mixture will boil up quickly, and it will also foam up when you add the baking soda.​
Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
  • She is not kidding about this. I used a nonstick pan with a butter/flour spray and still lost a chunk of cake. I will be more generous next time.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk the oil into the egg/sugar mixture, then whisk in the molasses mixture. Add the wet ingredients to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
  • If you are using a stand mixer, empty out the bowl, add in the flour mixture, then reassemble the mixer. If you try to add the dry ingredients to the wet, it's more likely to come out lumpy.
Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. Bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with unsweetened whipped cream.
Source

Notes:
  • Deb says "This gingerbread is better if made a day ahead. It will keep 3 days, covered, at room temperature. I am sure it will keep well-wrapped in the freezer even longer."
  • 652 g sugar total: 28 g per slice, 24 slices total