Plantation Gingerbread Food

OLD-FASHIONED GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
• Place the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum boils. Turn off the heat and set aside. Place the butter and molasses in another small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream and orange zest.
• Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to the mixture with a spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.
• When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and pour it onto the gingerbread, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set. Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares.

PLANTAIN GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the sugar and water in a sauce pan over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Peel plantain and add to the boiling sugar syrup. Add the plantain and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the plantain and drain. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan heavily. Spread the plantain slices evenly over the bottom.
• Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Place the butter and molasses in a sauce pan over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Combine this heated mixture and the boiling water and stir. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients, stirring, and then beat vigorously. Pour the batter over the sliced plantain. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Let the pan stand for 5 minutes on a rack, then loosen with a spatula and turn the cake upside down on a serving plate. Cut into squares. The cake is topped with shipped cream. Serve warm or cooled.

PLANTATION GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs; beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Stir in the molasses and hot water. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Beat just until combined.
• Pour into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Serve with gingerbread. Sprinkle with nutmeg.