Malty stout beer and a hint of cocoa adds a rich depth of flavour to this spiced gingerbread bundt cake.
Gingerbread and all its variants bear a long and distinguished history. With roots as far back as the 10th Century AD and across multiple European countries, gingerbread remains a popular dessert even today. For Ichabod Crane and all the other characters in Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, gingerbread was a common and much beloved treat. It’s no surprise that ginger cake graced the table of the Van Tassel autumn feast. With the malty addition of dark stout beer this richly spiced gingerbread stout bundt is the perfect addition to our Sleepy Hollow menu.
Ingredient Notes
Stout: Made from roasted malt barley, stout beer is dark in colour with a strong flavour and a rich, silky texture. The rich, malty notes in this dark ale add an interesting depth of flavour to this strongly spiced gingerbread. Guinness is perhaps one of the most well-known brands of stout although there are many varieties out there. Pick your favourite stout for this cake.
Gingerbread spices: This cake packs a serious spiced punch. Ground ginger is blended with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to create that iconic gingerbread flavour.
Cocoa powder: Stout beer often has hints of chocolate in its flavour profile and it pairs exceptionally well with chocolate dishes. A small amount of cocoa powder adds an interesting depth of flavour to this gingerbread without being overpowering.
Molasses: Along with ginger, molasses is another essential ingredient in gingerbread. A byproduct of the sugarcane refining process, thick molasses syrup is a an alternative sweetener often used in baking. There are several different kinds of molasses available such as light, dark, or blackstrap. Dark molasses is the typical kind used in baking and what I recommend using. Blackstrap molasses is made by further reducing molasses and can be slightly more bitter than dark molasses.
How to Make Gingerbread Stout Cake
Make the batter
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Measure out the stout and set aside until the foam subsides.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, coca powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Whisk together until well combined. Set the dry ingredients aside.
In another mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs. Whisk together until the mixture is fully combined and homogenous. Add the molasses and stir to combine. Add the stout to the liquid ingredients and gently stir to combine. Avoid whisking the stout in which will cause it to foam up excessively.
Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Whisk just until the flour is mixed in being careful not to over mix.
Bake the bundt
Spray a 12 cup bundt cake pan with non-stick spray. Pour the batter into the bundt pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until done and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Transfer the bundt pan to a rack. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then tip out of the bundt pan onto a serving platter. Let cool completely.
Glaze the Gingerbread Stout Bundt
To make the glaze, combine the icing sugar, cinnamon, and cloves in a small mixing bowl. Add the stout and whisk together into a smooth glaze. Drizzle the stout glaze over the cooled cake and let set. Slice the gingerbread stout bundt to serve and enjoy!
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Feast
Check out The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: The Feast master post for more Sleepy Hollow inspired recipes in this series.
Pies –
Toffee Apple Pie with Vanilla Custard, Pumpkin Cheese Pie with Gingersnap Crust
Donuts –
Hot Buttered Rum Glazed Crullers, Peach Crisp Donuts
Cakes –
Gingerbread Stout Bundt, Spiced Mead Honey Cake
Preserves –
Savoury –
Cider Brined Roast Chicken, Spiced Cherry and Port Glazed Ham, Cheesy Orzo Kale Stuffed Pumpkins
Cocktails –
Katrina Van Tassel’s Spiced Apricot Cocktail, The Headless Horseman Burnt Honey Old Fashioned, Gunpowder Fig and Rosemary Cocktail
