Molasses Spice Cake
When I discover a cake that’s filled with curious flavors like mustard, coffee, black pepper, and ginger, and is also simple to bake, I stick with it.
Equipment
- Bundt pan
Ingredients
For the molasses spice cake
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, plus more for pan
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup molasses, (not blackstrap)
- 4 shots espresso or 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee plus enough whole milk to equal 1 cup, cooled
- 2 cups heavy cream, whipped just before serving (optional)
For the candied orange peel & syrup
- 2 navel or Seville oranges, preferably organic
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Make the molasses spice cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Butter and flour a Bundt pan, being careful to thoroughly coat all the nooks and crannies.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, mustard, and black pepper until well blended.
- In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute, until it lightens in color and texture. Add the eggs, molasses, and espresso and mix on low speed just until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The batter may appear a little lumpy, and that's perfectly okay. Add the flour and spice mixture and, still on low speed, mix just until the flour is completely incorporated and no streaks remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the cake is puffed and a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out squeaky clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert the cake onto a wire rack situated on a baking sheet and let cool until the syrup is ready.
Make the candied orange peel & syrup
- While the cake bakes, halve and juice the oranges and then strain the juice into a liquid measuring cup. Carefully cut the bitter white pith and whatever remains from the orange segments from the orange peels, saving just the orange zest portion of the peel and composting the rest. Slice the peel into strips 1/4 inch thick. Toss the strips in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes. Drain the strips, discarding the water. Let cool.
- Add enough cold water to the reserved orange juice to measure 1 cup liquid. Dump this liquid and the sugar into the pan with the poached orange peel. Return the peel to heat and cook at a gentle boil for about 10 minutes, or until the peels are very shiny and almost translucent. Transfer the candied orange peel to a piece of parchment paper to dry. Reserve the syrup.
Assemble everything for serving
- After the molasses spice cake has been turned out of its pan, bring the reserved syrup back to a simmer just until it's warmed through. Then brush some of the syrup all over the top and sides of the warm cake to saturate it. Let the syrup soak in for a few minutes, then brush again, repeating over and over again until you’ve used all the syrup.
- Serve the cake slightly warm or at room temperature, sliced into wedges, sprinkled with candied orange peel, and dolloped with freshly whipped cream.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 514mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 52g