Gingerbread Town Square Cake Food

GINGERBREAD TOWN-SQUARE CAKE

Steps:

• Place 1 meringue layer on a cake stand, and spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over its surface. Top with a slice of genoise. Brush genoise with one-third of the syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over genoise. Repeat layering 2 more times. Spread enough buttercream over sides of cake to fill in any spaces between layers and create a smooth surface. Refrigerate cake for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).
• Just before serving, spread frosting over cake, smoothing sides and creating peaks on top to resemble snowdrifts. Sprinkle top with sanding sugar. Gently press 3 cookies onto each side of cake, using 1 of each shape per side and alternating molasses and honey gingerbread. Serve immediately.

GINGERBREAD SQUARES WITH HONEY-MASCARPONE CREAM

Steps:

• For topping:
• Whisk mascarpone cheese, honey, and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Cover; chill until ready to serve. (Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled.)
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 8-inch square metal baking pan. Whisk first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend well; whisk in crystallized ginger. Whisk oil, molasses, and brown sugar in large bowl to blend; whisk in egg and lemon peel. Gradually whisk in dry ingredients, then boiling water. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cake 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely; cover and store at room temperature.) Cut cake into squares; sift powdered sugar over. Serve warm or at room temperature with topping.
• Italian cream cheese available at Italian markets and many supermarkets.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

MOIST GINGERBREAD SPICE SNACK CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together until combined. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk the molasses and hot water together.
• In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy - about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the hot water/molasses, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing. Batter will be thin. Whisk out any big lumps.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 35 minutes or until the cake is baked through. All ovens are different and your cake could take a little more or less time. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean with only a couple moist (not wet) crumbs, it is done. Allow cake to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. The cake must be completely cool before frosting.
• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until creamy and no lumps remain- about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds then increase to high speed until everything is completely combined and the frosting is creamy. Taste. Add a pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Spread on top of cake. Spread around the sides if you have extra frosting.
• Slice, serve, enjoy! Leftover frosted cake keeps well covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor gets even better after a day or two.

GRANDMOTHER'S GINGERBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Place Wesson Oil in a medium sized mixing bowl.
• Add sugar.
• Cream oil and sugar together with mixer
• Add molasses. Mix together.
• Add flour. Mix together.
• Add milk. Mix together.
• Beat egg and add to mixture.
• Add cinnamon.
• Add ginger.
• Mix until well combined.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
• Pour batter into pan. Spread out evenly.
• Bake at 350F degrees for 35-45 minutes until done.
• Remove from oven when done. Place on wire rack, cool 15 minutes.
• Turn out of pan and continue to cool on wire rack.
• Enjoy

GINGERBREAD/GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Grease and flour an 8" square pan (or use Pam).
• The ingredients listed under "cream together" should be added one ingredient at a time, creaming in between each addition.
• When you have finished adding/creaming all the liquid ingredients, keep beating the liquid mixture, folding in the dry mixture, alternating with the 2/3 cup sour milk.
• Once everything is mixed in, pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 350°. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle.
• When it comes out clean, it's done.

GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin or a 2lb loaf tin.
• Pre-heat oven to 170c/gas mark 3. I've got a fan oven to I set mine to 160c.
• Put butter and golden syrup ina small saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
• Sift both flours, the soda and the spices into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar and salt , give it a good stir, then add the egg and milk mixing until smooth. Gradually add the melted butter/syrup mix, stirring until well combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55mins (fan oven I would say 40-45mins) until risen and firm to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.