Week 5: Gingerbread with Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

"God Bless us, everyone!"

-The Gingerbread Man, Shrek

My grandmother always had a box of gingersnaps in her pantry. I remember visiting her house in Maryland when I was a little girl. I would push a chair across the tile floor and reach into the cabinet and sneak a spicy sweet cookie out of the orange and yellow striped box of Nabisco cookies. It was something that never changed, Grandma always had a box of gingersnaps.

Any ginger type "treat" immediately leaves me feeling nostalgic. They spicy warmth reminds me of my grandmother and of being younger. So, this week I chose Gingerbread Cake, not only for the simple ingredients and method, but also for the warm memories.

gathering and prepping...

I invested in a few new items for this week's cake, the first being a new 9X9 baking pan. I also had to track down unsulfured molasses, which I had never heard of until this recipe. Mostly everything else I had in my pantry including all the fragrant spices. Nutmeg! Ginger! and Cinnamon! Oh my!

The Gingerbread Cake wasn't complicated to make, but it was time consuming. There were lots of steps, lots of measuring, lots of sifting and the usual slow process of incorporating.  It seemed to be worth the time as this amazing aroma coming from my oven filled my house while the Gingerbread Cake baked.



-ginger flower-



finishing and frosting...



I chose the Mascarpone Whipped Cream as a frosting because the recipe suggested it and because Mascarpone seemed like a good match for the spicy ginger flavor.

Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting.

The Gingerbread Cake was....good. I wasn't overwhelmed with amazement. It tasted like any other Gingerbread cake I've ever had. The texture was moist and it did have that spicy ginger taste that I love so much. I was impressed with the Mascarpone Whipped Cream frosting. Without the frosting this cake would have been a disappointment. The frosting added the gourmet feel that I'm looking for in my baking.

I'm not sure that I will make this cake again. If I do, I will serve it in bite size pieces with the Mascarpone frosting on the side as a spread. I think serving it this way would be a perfect appetizer/snack to offer at a tea party or a baby shower or holiday party.

Overall still very delicious.

-jodi

Week 4: Heavenly Angel Food Cake with Classic Whipped Cream and Strawberries

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

-Leonardo da Vinci-



After last week's rich chocolaty indulgence I was in search of a something on the lighter side for this edition.  The Cake Book author, Tish Boyle, describes the angel food cake as "guilt free heaven". I have to roll my eyes a little bit at the "guilt free" part because there is nothing "guilt free" about The Cake Book.  I will say the Heavenly Angel Food Cake is slightly less guilt inducing than most of the recipes. There is no butter and no oil. No cholesterol.  I think of angel food cake as one of the classic desserts. It's almost always a perfect and light way to end a dinner party.

gathering and prepping...

There isn't much to angel food cake - egg whites, sugar, cake flour, vanilla and cream of tartar. Oh! and the optional little dash of almond extract which I opted for! Very, very simple. The prepping on the other hand is a little intimidating. The recipe is constantly reminding you of all ways you can screw this cake up. "It is essential that the eggs whites are at room temperature" and "...the egg whites are glossy and smooth - they should not be dry". "Gently sift the flour over the egg whites". And "VERY gently fold in the flour to deflate the batter as little as possible". Oh my goodness! All the pressure!

After a deep breath and a little pep talk I was able to get my egg whites glossy and smooth! And I gently added things and folded and tried to stay as gentle as possible in general! Phew!



finishing and frosting...

After the cake cooled and I got it out of the pan I was quite relieved to see that it turned out looking like....an angel food cake! I dusted it with a tiny bit of confectioners sugar.  So far so good....

I decided to make the Classic Whipped Cream for the frosting. When it comes to whipped cream I prefer as little sweetness as possible. I reduced the amounts of vanilla and confectioners sugar that the book suggested by one third. This was the perfect amount for me! It had just a hint of the sweetness but mostly the creaminess. I sliced some fresh strawberries and assembled.

A slice of Heavenly Angel Food cake with Classic Whipped Cream and fresh sliced Strawberries.

This cake is a treat. It's light in every way. The cake is airy and soft. When it's combined with the whipped cream and strawberries it takes it to a whole other level. Simple perfection - Yum! I can say with 100% certainty that I will never serve store bought angel food cake again! Even though it was a little bit more work, all the care and attention to details made it amazing.

-jodi