Gingercake from the Culinary Institute of America

Gingercake

As part of the tuition for my Pro Baking 1 class at the New School of Cooking in Culver City, we got a chef's coat and the book: Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

The instructor doesn't assign any of the recipes, but we are encouraged to make similar recipes to the week's topic. She picked this book because the recipes have been tested by the CIA...the Culinary Institute of America, not the bunch of spies. I made this gingerbread awhile back and found the photos in my Flickr account, and thought, "Oh, I forgot to post that." Does that happen to you too?!

This recipe is easy to assemble. The middle of my cake fell (see here), but I'm sure I must have done something wrong in the mixing or baking.

I like to bring in treats to my co-workers in easy to grab/carry/eat sections. I buy these cupcake cups in bulk at Surfas! :)

It was a nice cake...soft and moist. It goes well with tea or coffee...and perhaps a cold day. Which, by the way, is something we haven't had that much of in Los Angeles. It has been in the 70's this January (especially for the Rose Parade, Rose Bowl and BCS Championship...it is all part of the tourist industry's plan to keep the visitors coming ;)

P.S. And if you are a fan of Gingerbread, tune in next week for a post about a delicious Gingerbread Apple Upside Cake that is sooooo good you must make it! Really. It was yummmmmmy.

Recipe:
Gingercake
Adapted from Gingercake on page 85 of Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America. Purchase here or see if your library has the book here on Worldcat

Printable Recipe here

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t ground ginger
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1/2 c molasses
1/2 c buttermilk
2 large eggs (I always use room temp eggs for baking....leave out for awhile or place in warm water for 15 minutes before using)

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan. (I place a piece of parchment in the pan and spray with Pam with Flour).
2. Sift together flour, ginger, baking powder & soda and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar in stand mixer with paddle attachment until light in texture, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the molasses and buttermilk and beat until evenly blended, about 1 minute.
5. Increase speed to medium and cream until smooth and light, about 2 more minutes.
6. Add eggs one at a time on medium speed.
7. Add the sifted dry ingredients on low speed until evenly blended and smooth.
8. Pour into cake pan and bake until center springs back when pressed lightly, about 45 minutes.
9. Let cool on wire rack. Slice and serve...dust with powdered sugar.