gramercy tavern gingerbread

Josh and I really know how to celebrate the holidays. Last year we treated ourselves to a dream vacation in Hawaii where we sipped on tropical delights and watched sunsets that made us seriously contemplate what we were doing with our lives (read: not living in Maui, and thus ruining our sanity). We dipped our toes into the clearest salty aqua water and read books on beds of velvety sand listening to waves lap at our toes, and after two weeks of bliss we island hopped to next island over, Australia, where we had our fill of kangaroo and crocodile pizzas and watched a firework display that indelibly emblazed Sydney in our minds as the New Years Eve capitol of the world.

This year, as we sit next to the window hoping our breath will fog over the windows and powdery white flakes fall from the sky, we sigh and watch the temperature rise to 60-degrees. Winter wonderland or not, Christmas season is still something that should be celebrated with nativity scenes, children’s church productions, Nat King Cole, Christmas movies and baking. Cookies galore, candies wrapped in wax paper, mason jars filled to the brim with spiced nuts and pedestals of gingerbread that bowl you over with spicy flavor.

This year I took charge of dessert, as my mother-in-law graciously let me bow out of any Thanksgiving preparations and I felt that I could not let two of my most favorite holidays pass by without a single thing from my oven. This gingerbread is a breeze to make, and could even be streamlined into a one-bowl gingerbread had I the foresight (read: enough sleep to be clear headed to think ahead) to rework the directions. Regardless, this easy quick-bread of a cake will take the holiday pressure off as I’m sure you all have cookies and candies and roasts to prepare, as well as knock you over with an impact of flavor something so simple can bring. It has a subtly spicy heat that calms down the gobs of sugar that will be consumed, and despite the dense moistness of the cake it is still light, being able to fit into any cracks you may have left over.

And as for this Christmas, we’ve really outdone ourselves. We traded in a tropical paradise for this little guy, and honestly, I don’t think we can top this.

One Year Ago: Silky Cauliflower Soup, Josh’s Scrambled Eggs on Toast, Pina Coladas, Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies, and Chocolate Truffles

Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Barely Adapted from Claudia Fleming

As good as this gingerbread is out of the oven, it is even better the second and third day. The flavors become bolder, fiercer, and more intense the longer it sits untouched, if you can manage such absurdity.

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
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Unsweetened whipped cream, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter (and she means very generously; I used half a stick of softened butter and still had pieces that stuck) bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out excess.

Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to flour mixture and whisk until just combined.

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 whipped cream.