Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Recipe courtesy Ina Garten

Show: Dear Food NetworkEpisode: Thanksgiving Desserts

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (32)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(32)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
9 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 1 hr 35 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 2 hr 50 min

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Ingredients

1/4 cup dark rum or water
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup unsulphured molasses
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup minced dried crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
1 cup confectioners' sugar, optional
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 by 8-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Place the rum and raisins in a small pan, cover and heat until the rum boils. Turn off the heat and set aside. Place the butter and molasses in another small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cool for 5 minutes, then mix in the sour cream and orange zest.

Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt together in a small bowl. Mix with your hands until combined. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture and mix only until smooth. Drain the raisins and add them and crystallized ginger to the mixture with a spatula. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Set aside to cool completely.

When the cake has cooled, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and orange juice and pour it onto the gingerbread, allowing it to drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to set. Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
CJ Mahopac, NY 10-27-2009
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A Lovely Recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

How unfortunate so many people appear to be upset by the fact that there are no eggs nor granulated sugar in this particular... recipe. I am surprised that they, after reading the recipe, would have troubled themselves to make this particular gingerbread, if it was not what they wanted in the first place. Gingerbread has been around for hundreds of years and is made in accordance to innumerable traditions. There are recipes readily available containing eggs and sugar and I hope that the people who were confounded by this recipe will search out another more to their liking. However, it will be too bad not to try this one as it is written, and then find another such as Parkin from England, or Magenbrot a soft gingerbread from Switzerland or Pain d?Epice from France; regarding which, the best recipe and most true to the region can be found in MFK Fisher?s ?The Art of Eating.? This book is a compilation of several of her works, Serve It Forth, Consider the Oyster, How to Cook a Wolf, The Gastronomical Me, and An Alphabet of Gourmets. Anyway, my point is merely this, have an open mind and try something new. Indeed, you may have a small disappointment; on the other hand you may discover something utterly splendid! Personally I found this to be a lovely recipe that is well thought out and truly delicious and if you enjoyed this one, I could heartily recommend the gingerbread recipe in the cookery book ?Baking with Julia.? There is nothing more satisfying than warm gingerbread on cold winter?s evening in front of a blazing fire. Joyful Baking!!Read more
recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
Pua Dana Point, CA 10-13-2009
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Molasses is sugar
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

For those wondering where the sugar is: It is the molasses which is a byproduct of making processed sugar. Some would say it... is much healthier than the processed stuff. In any case, it is a good old-fashioned all-American sweetener. If it was good enough for the early Americans, it should be good enough for the 21st century folks. Raisins also add sweetness. And don't forget there is real sugar in the glaze. How about making it the way Ina suggests? Would you wonder where the sugar was if a recipe called for honey, only? Read more
recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
Therese Spencer, MA 04-17-2009
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Fantastic Recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I thought this recipe was great! I found it sweet enough, I loved the orange glaze, and I didn't think the batter was too... stiff. The smell permeating the house was awesome, and I couldn't wait for it to come out of the oven. The recipe in Ina's new cookbook called for 3/4 tsp. baking soda, so I had no trouble there. I didn't add eggs because they weren't in the recipe, but it didn't cause any problem.Those who don't want a citrus glaze could make a glaze using milk and confectioners' sugar. Three cheers for Ina!!!Read more
recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
gabi pacoima, CA 01-29-2009
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The molasses taste overpowered the cake
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I don't know with the missing eggs. it turned out perfect, moist and everything, but this intense molasses taste was just too... much for me. some in our family liked it though.Read more
recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
S. Carrollton, GA 12-31-2008
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Highly Recommended
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe makes a very moist cake. My family said it reminded them of a holiday fruit cake due to the raisins. The... orange-sugar icing was a good combination with the dark molasses cake. I tried to make gingerbread like my mom's grandmother made for her as a child, but this recipe was just too different. However, mom said it was the best tasting gingerbread she's had, after grandmother's version. Read more
recipe Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
Evangelina Gettysburg, PA 12-30-2008
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Amazing!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

we had a 'gingerbread' contest for Christmas at work and I entered this one .. well I lost by 1 vote .. the winner used boxed... gingerbread in a trifle. The trifle was good but I went to alot of work with this recipe and ingredients were all from scratch .. and along with the rum-whipped cream ... yummmmmmm! This was the best recipe. I was worried about the rum and not having made gingerbread at all as well as the crystalized ginger .. but it all worked so well and the whipped cream was melt in your mouth good. I trust all of Ina's recipes; for me they always come out very good. thanks so much Ina.Read more