Butter Cream & Sugar: Gingerbread Woman

I am so eager for the holiday season to begin. I love having family around and holidays always ensure the delivery of my loved ones into the chairs around my dining table. I decided to try a new recipe or two to give at Christmas this year and here is the fist of the winners for your enjoyment.

This spicy bread has a bit of a bite that hangs on from the ginger but is lightly sweet and has a nice deep flavor from the molasses. The addition of the stout gives the bread just a touch of bitterness that, from here on in, I will find missing in other gingerbread recipes.

This is a dark bread, if you tend to shy away from the intense flavor molasses this is not the cake for you, but for those of you, like me, who enjoy that depth of flavor this cake will compliment your upcoming season perfectly. It is hearty and will gift, oh, so nicely when the time comes!

Gingerbread

1 cup Guinness Stout
½ cup dark molasses
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
3 large eggs
1 cup evaporated cane sugar
1 cup Splenda
3/4 cup vegetable oil
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup oats

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour; knock out any excess flour.

Mix stout and molasses and whisk in baking soda.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl.

In a separate bowl whisk together eggs and sugars then whisk in oil, buttermilk and molasses mixture; add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Fold in oats.

Pour batter into bundt pan (I used multiple mini bundts) and tap pan 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 (15-20 minutes for mini bundts).

Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.

Confectioners Sugar Glaze