Dessert of the Week – Chocolate Gingerbread
Posted on March 13, 2008 by Andrew in RecipesAlways a simmering of excitement when the latest issue of Delicious drops through the letterbox – makes a change from final demands at least! This is a Nigella recipe from the April 2008 issue. I do wonder how this would taste with preserved ginger rather than ground ginger or even fresh ginger?
As it stands it has a distinct ‘adult’ taste with the chocolate chips (or chunks in my case) adding a nice texture. Served with a little whipped cream does wonders to the taste. The icing top shouldn’t be missed off either. Sadly, being brown with a brown glaze it doesn’t make for the most interesting of photographs!
Use the very best chocolate and ginger beer to really enhance the flavours of this Chocolate Gingerbread cake.
Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter
- 125g dark muscovado sugar
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 200g golden syrup
- 200g black treacle
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp bicarb of soda
- 2 eggs
- 250ml milk
- 275g plain flour
- 40g cocoa powder
- 175g chocolate chips
- 30g unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 60ml ginger beer
- 250g icing sugar
Instructions
- Oven to 160C/G3. Line a tin with baking paper.
- Melt butter with sugars, golden syrup, treacle and spices. Remove from heat. Dissolve the bicarb in 2 tablespoons water and add to the melted butter along with the eggs and milk. Stir in the flour and beat well. Fold in the chocolate chips. Bake for about 45 minutes.
- It will be slightly damp under the top. Cool.
- For the icing melt the butter, cocoa and ginger ale. Sift in the icing sugar and top the bread
Scribbles on Photos
aforkfulofspaghetti says:
Post Author March 13, 2008 at 2:50 pmI think I’ll make this as my Easter cake…
What tin size did you use, please?
Andrew says:
Post Author March 13, 2008 at 9:14 pmA brownie tin – 9 inches square.
Katie says:
Post Author March 14, 2008 at 8:06 amThat looks wonderfuly dark, moist and sticky.
Coffee and Vanilla says:
Post Author March 14, 2008 at 7:05 pmVery nice recipe, I have never tried anything like this before but I love gingerbread cookies…
I’m marking it on deli.cio.us to bake it later
Margot
Scott at Realepicurean says:
Post Author March 15, 2008 at 7:11 pmFantastic…Your blog is so unassuming yet boasts some of the best food photography out there.
This looks good enough to, well, eat!
Andrew says:
Post Author March 15, 2008 at 8:17 pmThanks for the comments people. And Scott, glad you find my efforts a feast – for the eyes at least!
katy says:
Post Author March 17, 2008 at 3:46 pmsounds absolutely delicious, but i have no clue what “black treacle” is. i’m guessing based on Harry Potter’s love of treacle tarts that it’s a UK thing?!?
Andrew says:
Post Author March 17, 2008 at 5:43 pmIt’s dark molasses in the USA.
Scott at Realepicurean says:
Post Author March 17, 2008 at 6:52 pmkaty: To make it more confusing, when people in the UK talk about treacle sponge (for example) they actually mean a cake made with golden syrup (not treacle!).
Strange, huh?
Antonia says:
Post Author March 20, 2008 at 7:53 pmLove that this has ginger beer in the icing – bet that is delicious. Looks all dark, brooding and delicious!
the airy fairy says:
Post Author April 2, 2008 at 11:47 pmi adore gingerbread but this looks fabulous. i am loving the thought of chocolate gingerbread. do you think it would work if it was baked in cupcake form?
Emmy says:
Post Author September 11, 2009 at 3:44 pmI can vouch for the fact that this cake is as good as it sounds, and so easy to make. One thing I want to point out is that you MUST(!) use Fentiman’s ginger beer (pictured) if you can get it, as it knocks all other brands into a cocked hat.
Thanks for posting this recipe, it has been taken down from Nigella’s site
Jeffrey, UK says:
Post Author November 13, 2009 at 9:39 pmI’ve made this cake three times, and in a 9X9 square tin it is still completely runny on top after 45 minutes. I cook it for 1 hour 35; there is then a small damp patch on the top that sinks slightly on cooling. The cake is moist and fudgey.
I also cut the icing recipe by one half, and I use ordinary granulated sugar; there is still plenty to coat the top. I forget the ginger beer and use 2 teaspoons of ginger powder and 2 tablespoons of water. Decorate with crystallised ginger, powdered sugar, sugared almonds, anything you like!
Good modifications to try: I add 2 teaspoons of chilli to the other spices and melted butter/
syrup. This gives it a good peppery zing. And instead of chocolate chips, I buy 200g of good dark chocolate (60% cocoa mass) and break it into small pieces).