gramercy tavern gingerbread
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.
Conversions & Equivalents
Volume | Baking | Metric | Pan Size | Temperature | Oven | Other
1/2 teaspoon
=
30 drops
1 teaspoon
=
1/3 tablespoon OR 60 drops
3 teaspoon
=
1 tablespoon or 1/2 fluid ounce
1/2 tablespoon
=
1 1/2 teaspoons
1 tablespoon
=
3 teaspoons or 1/2 fluid ounce
2 tablespoons
=
1/8 cup or 1 fluid ounce
3 tablespoons
=
1 1/2 fluid ounces
4 tablespoons
=
1 1/4 cup or 2 fluid ounces
5 1/3 tablespoons
=
1/3 cup or 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
8 tablespoons
=
1/2 cup or 4 fluid ounces
10 2/3 tablespoons
=
2/3 cup or 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
12 tablespoons
=
3/4 cup or 6 fluid ounces
16 tablespoons
=
1 cup or 8 fluid ounces or 1/2 pint
1/8 cup
=
2 tablespoons or 1 fluid ounce
1/4 cup
=
4 tablespoons or 2 fluid ounces
1/3 cup
=
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
3/8 cup
=
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup
=
8 tablespoons or 4 fluid ounces
2/3 cup
=
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
5/8 cup
=
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons
3/4 cup
=
12 tablespoons or 6 fluid ounces
7/8 cup
=
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
1 cup
=
16 tablespoons or 1/2 pint or 8 fluid ounces
2 cups
=
1 pint or 16 fluid ounces
1 pint
=
2 cups or 16 fluid ounces
1 quart
=
2 pints or 4 cups or 32 fluid ounces
1 gallon
=
4 quarts or 8 pints or 16 cups or 128 fluid ounces
FLOUR
1 cup all-purpose flour
=
5 ounces or 142 grams
1 cup cake flour
=
4 ounces or 113 grams
1 cup whole wheat flour
=
5 1/2 ounces or 156 grams
SUGAR
1 cup granulated white sugar
=
7 ounces or 198 grams
1 cup packed brown sugar
=
7 ounces or 198 grams
1 cup confectioners sugar
=
4 ounces or 113 grams
COCOA POWDER
1 cup cocoa powder
=
3 ounces or 85 grams
BUTTER
4 tablespoons
=
1/2 stick or 1/4 cup or 2 ounces
8 tablespoons
=
1 stick or 1/2 cup or 4 ounces
16 tablespoons
=
2 sticks or 1 cup or 8 ounces
32 tablespoons
=
4 sticks or 2 cups or 1 pound
1/4 teaspoon
=
1.23 milliliters
1/2 teaspoon
=
2.46 milliliters
3/4 teaspoon
=
3.7 milliliters
1 teaspoon
=
4.93 milliliters
1 1/4 teaspoon
=
6.16 milliliters
1 1/2 teaspoon
=
7.39 milliliters
1 3/4 teaspoon
=
8.63 milliliters
2 teaspoon
=
9.86 milliliters
1 tablespoon
=
14.79 milliliters
2 tablespoons
=
29.57 milliliters
1/4 cup
=
59.15 milliliters
1/2 cup
=
118.3 milliliters
1 cup
=
236.59 milliliters
2 cups or 1 pint
=
473.18 milliliters
3 cups
=
709.77 milliliters
4 cups or 1 quart
=
946.36 milliliters
1/4 teaspoon
=
1.23 milliliters
4 quarts or 1 gallon
=
3.785 liters
PAN SIZE
VOLUME
CAN SUBSTITUTE WITH
1 8-inch round cake pan
4 cups
1 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 9-inch round cake pan
1 9-inch pie plate
2 8-inch round cake pans
8 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
1 10-inch springform pan
1 9-inch round cake pan
6 cups
1 8-inch round cake pan
1 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
2 9-inch round cake pans
12 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 8-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 11x7-inch baking dish
1 10-inch springform pan
1 10-inch round cake pan
11 cups
2 8-inch round cake pan
1 9-inch tube pan
1 10-inch springform pan
2 10-inch round cake pans
22 cups
5 8-inch round cake pans
3 or 4 9-inch round cake pans
2 10-inch spring form pan
9-inch tube pan
12 cups
2 8-inch round cake pans
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
10-inch tube pans
16 cups
3 9-inch round cake pans
2 10-inch pie plates
4 8-inch pie plates
2 9x5-inch loaf pans
2 8-inch square baking dishes
2 9-inch square baking dishes
10-inch bundt pan
12 cups
1 9x13-inch baking dish
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 9-inch tube pan
2 11x7-inch baking dishes
1 10-inch springform pan
11x7x2-inch baking dish
6 cups
1 8-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch round cake pan
9x13x2-inch baking dish
15 cups
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
3 8-inch round cake pans
1 10x15-inch jellyroll pan
10x15x1-inch jellyroll pan
15 cups
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
2 8-inch round cake pan
1 9x13-inch baking dish
9x5-inch loaf pan
8 cups
1 10-inch pie plate pan
1 8-inch square baking dish
1 9-inch square baking dish
8x4-inch loaf pan
6 cups
1 8-inch round cake pan
1 11x7-inch baking dish
9-inch springform pan
10 cups
1 10-inch round cake pan
1 10-inch spring form pan
2 8-inch round cake pans
2 9-inch round cake pans
10-inch springform pan
12 cups
2 8x4-inch loaf pan
1 9-inch tube pan
2 9-inch round cake pans
1 10-inch bundt pan
2 11x7-inch baking dishes
2 8-inch round cake pans
8-inch square baking dish
8 cups
1 9x5-inch loaf pan
2 8-inch pie plates
9-inch square baking dish
8 cups
1 11x7-inch baking dish
1 9x5-inch loaf pan
2 8-inch pie plate
Water Freezes
32°F
0°C
40°F
4.4°C
50°F
10°C
60°F
15.6°C
70°F
21.1°C
80°F
26.7°C
90°F
32.2°C
100°F
37.8°C
110°F
43.3°C
120°F
48.9°C
130°F
54.4°C
140°F
60°C
150°F
65.6°C
160°F
71.1°C
170°F
76.7°C
180°F
82.2°C
190°F
87.8°C
200°F
93.3°C
Water Boils
212°F
100°C
250°F
121°C
300°F
149°C
350°F
177°C
400°F
205°C
450°F
233°C
500°F
260°C
275°F
=
140°C or Gas Mark 1
300°F
=
150°C or Gas Mark 2
325°F
=
165°C or Gas Mark 3
350°F
=
180°C or Gas Mark 4
375°F
=
190°C or Gas Mark 5
400°F
=
200°C or Gas Mark 6
425°F
=
220°C or Gas Mark 7
450°F
=
230°C or Gas Mark 9
475°F
=
240°C or Gas Mark 10
And for conversions that are not listed I found a great conversion calculator here!
Comment Guidelines
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The Good Kind of Comments:
- Conversational. If you're starting or continuing a conversation about your life, your experiences in the kitchen, or stories about your family, then I love and welcome your comments. The ability to genuinely connect with other people with similar interests whom I may never otherwise meet is one of the things I most love about the food blogging community, and I encourage people to participate as much as they'd like in these sometimes spontaneous conversations.
- Feedback. If you tried a recipe that you found on The Red Spoon, I would love to hear about it. Whether it was a success or a flop, whether you added ingredients or adjusted cooking times, whatever you did, I am always interested in hearing how things went in another kitchen with the same recipe.
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The Bad Kind of Comments:
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- Linking. As part of the comment in-take form, there is a field where you can enter your website or blog and it will appear as a hyperlink embedded in your name in the text of the comment. This kind of linking is perfectly acceptable. When linking is not acceptable is if the corresponding comment is completely irrelevant, i.e. an excuse to market your website on my website, in which case your comment will be deleted for irrelevance, or if you leave a link in the body of the comment. The rule of thumb is don't try to market your website on my website. I know all the tricks and I will delete your comment if I think this is what you're doing.
- Nastygrams. Every once in a while I find one of these in my inbox or in a comment on a post. People sending me nastygrams: don't do it. You're wasting your time. I really don't care if you think my blog "looks like" another blog, of if you think talking about my kid and putting pictures of him in posts is "copying" another blog. Seriously. The blog you're rushing to defend probably didn't come up with that one either, and even if they did there is nothing illegal, unethical, or unfair about doing the same thing. If you're genuinely concerned that plagiarism has taken place on The Red Spoon, just send me a polite email asking if I forgot to credit someone somewhere. But when you leave an anonymous comment saying that my website is ugly, you have become that annoying kid on the playground that wants to correct everyone but that no one else likes, except you're not a kid so what's your excuse? Your comment will be deleted, your email won't be responded to, and thank you for the page views and corresponding advertising revenue.
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Yummy!