Gingerbread is likely one of the oldest traditional recipes I'll ever post on this site, as it dates to at least the 10th century. In the centuries before the Spanish started to import chocolate from the new world, ginger, cinnamon, clove, and other spices imported from Asia were some of the most exotic flavors available to European bakers, so gingerbreads, usually sweetened with honey or molasses because sugar was too expensive, became a delicacy seen at festivals and royal courts year-round. Elizabeth I was known to impress foreign dignitaries by serving gingerbread men (probably without the candy buttons we add today). English towns held "gingerbread fairs" as late as the nineteenth century, and gingerbread was believed to have some medicinal properties, as an aid to digestion. (In fact, this is quite true, provided the cake contains enough ginger. We still use ginger teas and ginger ale for that purpose today.)
While gingerbread, particularly in cookie form, has undoubtedly been eaten at Christmas time since the middle ages, it was not strongly associated with that particular holiday until the mid nineteenth century, at least in the English speaking world. When Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Koburg (in Bavaria) in the 1830's, they imported many German Christmas traditions to England, including Christmas trees, Saint Nicholas, and gingerbread houses. Around the same time, a wave of German immigrants were bringing the same traditions with them to the US. Obviously, the traditions stuck, and while some bakeries today might have gingerbread and other spiced cakes year-round, they're mainly associated with Christmastime.
Which obviously isn't to say that you can't enjoy this spicy cake any time of year, as long as you're willing to make it yourself. Whether it's June or December, this cake is the perfect not-too-sweet treat to have with your morning coffee or afternoon tea, so I highly recommend making the effort. And it's actually really easy to make. There's not even any decorating involved!
This recipe comes straight from one of my Irish cookbooks and is very heavy on the ginger and molasses. The resulting cake is dense, moist, sweet, and a little spicy.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups AP flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbs ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 cup molasses
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350F, and butter a 9-inch loaf pan. Whisk together flour, spices, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add molasses, and finally add the buttermilk. The mixture will appear runny and not emulsified. Stir in the dry ingredients until combined, then pour the batter into the pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40-50* minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool before serving.
*The cookbook, written by someone who lives at sea level, says to bake for 40-50 minutes. Here at 5280 feet, it's more like an hour. The center was still runny at 40 minutes.
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