Monday, December 17, 2012

Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Sauce


This is a great feel good dessert not to sweet or heavy.  Best when served warm

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon each cloves and nutmeg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup water
1 large egg
1 cup buttermilk

Directions
Grease and flour a 9" square pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Melt the butter and stir in the molasses and pour into the dry ingredients, mixing to moisten.

Add the water, stirring until everything is moistened. Whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Stir into the batter until it's evenly combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake just begins to pull away from the edge of the pan.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 15 minutes before slicing.
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Lemon Sauce
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon butter

Whisk sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan to blend. Add 3/4 cup water. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, butter and grated lemon peel. Pour over warm cake .

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Caramel Sauce

Caramel sauce
1 1/4 cups (packed) dark brown sugar 
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup whipping cream

Whisk brown sugar and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until butter melts. Whisk in cream and stir until sugar dissolves and sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.


I use this on any kind of dessert or as an apple dip.  It is also great with sea salt on it.