GINGERBREAD!!!
It's Thursday, which means it's time for another Tasty Thursday video. I love baking this special treat - the whole house smells like a giant hug with a soft blanket. Buttermilk makes this old-fashioned staple a true badass dessert.
Gingerbread recipe (adapted from Cooks Illustrated)
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ c ww flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 TBS + ground ginger (or 3 TBS grated fresh AND 3 TBS minced crystallized)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp cocoa powder (Dutch-processed ideal)
- 8 TBS (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- ¾ c molasses
- ¾ c (5 ¼ oz) white sugar
- ½ c buttermilk
- ½ c milk
- 1 large egg
VEGAN SUBSTITUTIONS:
Oil for butter (up to ½ could be coconut oil for an added dimension)
Soured soy or almond milk for buttermilk (see Tasty Thursday video for directions)
Flax egg or egg substitute for egg
- Oven rack at middle position; oven at 350. Butter and flour an 11x7 baking dish.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients and mix well using an electric mixer (the butter will be clumpy, so the electric mixer is needed)
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat on medium speed until batter is smooth and thick, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as needed.
- Smooth batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched and the edges have pulled away from the pan sides, about 40 minutes.
- Set pan on wire rack and let cool at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Extra good with some powdered sugar on top, or even a dollop of whipped cream . . .
If you want to double this recipe – it’s best to use 2 pans rather than one larger one. It’ll rise better, taste better, and be prettier.