Shelly's Recipe

GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-GINGER GLAZE

Category: Cakes

1/2 cup boiling-hot water
1/2 cup boiling-hot orange juice
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup butter-flavored vegetable shortening
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon fresh orange zest
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 recipe Chocolate-Ginger Glaze

Garnish: chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick spray with flour; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, orange juice, and baking soda; stir to combine, and set aside. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, allspice, five-spice powder, and cardamom; set aside.

In a separate medium bowl and using an electric mixer at medium-high speed, combine the shortening, brown sugar, and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the molasses, orange zest, and reserved baking soda mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Lower mixer speed to medium-low; add the eggs, and beat until combined, about 1 minute.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until a wooden tester inserted near center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Place cake on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour Chocolate-Ginger Glaze over cooled cake, coating cake completely. Garnish with chopped candied ginger, if desired. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 5 days.

Chocolate-Ginger Glaze
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the cream, corn syrup, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and ground ginger; bring to a boil.

Place chocolate into a medium bowl. Carefully pour the hot cream mixture over chocolate, whisking until smooth. Use immediately.