Cake or Death: Inspired by Emungere

[darkemeralds]

A couple of weeks ago, emungere posted a link to this Chocolate Coffee Gingerbread Cake, and I tried it. The results were intriguing enough that I tried it again today with a few modifications.

OMG this might be the best cake I've ever made.





Modifications:

• I used butter instead of olive oil, and I whipped the butter and sugar to within an inch of their lives before adding the molasses
• I used baking powder instead of baking soda
• I substituted milk chocolate for semi-sweet
• I upped all three spices by 50%
• I separated the eggs, adding the yolks with the molasses, and folding the stiff-beaten eggwhites in as the very last step
• I poured the hot coffee over the chopped chocolate and let it all melt together before adding it to the batter

The result is a lighter cake, both in texture and color, than my first attempt, and the flavor is just...indescribably rich and interesting. Dark, and chocolately and spicy and earthy. The chocolate, surprisingly, hits you first, followed by the coffee. The spicy-molasses-gingerbready flavor comes in last, and lingers.

It doesn't need any kind of frosting or embellishment, though it would be nice with a little ball of good vanilla ice cream, and is going to be fabulous with my morning coffee.




Thank you, emungere, for the inspiration!

Comments

[inalasahl]

That cake looks incredible.

[darkemeralds]

It's just amazing. Mind you, what you're seeing is mostly the pretty cake pan shape! And it doesn't hurt for a cake to be pretty, but this one? Would be fantastic even lopsided and silly-looking.

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmmmm, cake.
I might try that.
But probably not before we've eaten the banana cake and the apple cake wot I made and the chocolate brownies abrinsky brought home from work...

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

There are two cups of flour in it--would you attempt a gluten-free version? I have no clear idea of how much this type of cake depends on gluten.

That apple cake of yours really looked scrumptious.

[lamentables.livejournal.com]

I'm reasonably confident that I have the hang of converting cake recipes to be gluten-free. It's a question of choosing the right substitute flour for texture/flavour, adding more raising agent, the appropriate amount of xanthan gum, and maybe a little extra moisture depending on the type of cake. That's easier and more instinctive than it sounds when written out.

The apple cake recipe was one I converted. I'd recommend adding more cinnamon than the recipe suggests, but it is otherwise completely delicious.

[darkemeralds]

I've just done some reading about gluten-free baking. I'm not gluten-intolerant, but I know that wheat isn't my best friend, and the thing that stops me from considering a change is the prospect of giving up yummy baked goods. It sounds like clever people have found edible workarounds.

Very interesting!

[executrix]

I adore Shauna James Aherne's Gluten Free Girl blog, http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com, and it goes back several years with hundreds of recipes.

[darkemeralds]

Hm. It seems that DW isn't consistently notifying me of comments. I just saw this.

I should have known that clever people were on the case and finding ways to enjoy life without wheat. Especially on the internet.

[lamentables]

G-free bread will never match up to the real thing, even though I make the best g-free bread I've had anywhere. But cakes and scones are pretty easy. It probably wouldn't work for all cakes but I've always preferred heavy or sticky cakes and those are the type that do convert.

[darkemeralds]

Well, it makes sense that gluten-free bread would fall a little short, since gluten is the key thing that makes bread bread. I agree on the cakes though. I like dense, moist cakes much better than the fluffy things that need frosting to make them edible.

[executrix.livejournal.com]

It looks like a wonderful cake! And that's a beautiful cake pan, although if I had one I'd be nervous of being able to get the cake out in one piece!

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

It is an evil non-stick-coated pan which I a) use no more than once a year, b) keep swathed in dishtowels in a separate cupboard and c) butter just ridiculously before I pour batter into it.

Silly things, those fancy-mold cake pans, really.