Description:

Fragrant and perfectly spiced cake, with tangy sweet lemon sauce to be sweet lipped in joy with whipped cream! Oh, this is heavenly.

Source:

S. Chokel

Serves/Makes:10 or more desserts

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 stick of butter, unsalted best
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) shortening (important for lightness)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup (225 ml) molasses
• 2-1/2 cups (600 ml) sifted all purpose flour
• 1-1/2 tsp (7 ml) cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 ml) ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cloves
• 1 tsp (5 ml) salt
• 1 cup (225 ml) hot water
• Lemon Sauce:
• 2 cups (475 ml) sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) butter
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) cornstarch
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (475 ml) boiling water
• juice and chiffonade or zested rind of 2 large lemons (scrape off the white pithy part of the rind)
• Whipped Cream:
• 2 cups (475 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) or more sugar (to taste)

Preparation

• Gingerbread:
• Cream butter and shortening.
• Add sugar.
• Add eggs and molasses.
• Sift together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add to the butter mixture.
• Add the hot water slowly and beat until smooth.
• Pour batter into a in a well greased 9 inch x 13 inch pan, or you can use a jelly roll pan for thinner cake.
• Bake for 35 minutes in a 350 degree (175 C.) oven.
• Cool in the pan.
• Best served warm right out of the oven or lightly microwave pieces you are going to use just prior to assembly and serving.
• Lemon Sauce:
• In a medium saucepan, beat together sugar, butter, lemon juice and rind, cornstarch, and eggs.
• Place on a medium stove burner and add water.
• Heat to boiling point, stirring to avoid scortching.
• Remove from direct heat and keep warm for assembly and serving.
• Whipped Cream:
• Place cold heavy cream in a deep medium to large mixing bowl.
• Beat for 5-6 minutes, until it is starting to reach a thicker consistency and beginning to hold peaks, add the desired sugar at this point.
• Continue beating until it reaches the desired consistency--some like stiff thick peaks, we like a softer tender whipped cream, it is your choice at this point.
• Assembly:
• Place a square of warm gingerbread on a serving plate.
• Spoon the very warm lemon sauce generously over the cake and let it run down the sides and onto the plate.
• Spoon (or using a pastry tube for stiffer whipped cream) put the whipped cream as a pretty "blop" (or decorative design if using the pastry tube) on the cake.
• Garnish with a few sprinkles of lemon zest and a mint leaf if available.

Comments

This is so good, that you will want it all the time. It is fairly difficult to make unless you are a seasoned cook, or unless this is all you're serving. Since it all needs to be warm when served.. with the exception of the whipped cream, this can be daunting for an unexperienced cook with presenting a whole meal as well.

Hint: You can make the whipped cream and the cake earlier in the day and make the lemon sauce just before assembly and serving.

This is WORTH THE TROUBLE.... deeeeeelicious.