Recipe from Genevieve Ko
Adapted by Tejal Rao
- Total Time
- 30 minutes, plus baking/cooling
- Rating
- 4(308)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This deeply spiced gingerbread cake recipe comes from the cookbook author Genevieve Ko, who found inspiration in the light-as-air cakes she tasted from Chinese bakeries in Southern California, as well as the sweets — hot candied ginger and sugared, dried plums (a.k.a. prunes) — that her grandmothers offered her as a child. Ms. Ko's cake uses oil, not butter, which gives the crumb a fluffy, moist texture. The liquid base of rehydrated prunes brings sweetness along with depth of flavor. —Tejal Rao
Featured in: Three Gorgeous Cakes for the Holidays
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:16 servings
- 1cup (184 grams) pitted prunes, quartered
- ⅔cup (214 grams) molasses
- ½teaspoon baking soda
- Butter or cooking spray, for the pan
- 1cup (137 grams) spelt flour
- ¾cup (108 grams) white whole-wheat flour
- 1½teaspoons baking powder
- 1tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon ground cloves
- ½teaspoon salt
- 3large eggs, at room temperature
- 1cup (215 grams) packed light-brown sugar
- ¼cup (56 grams) grapeseed or other neutral oil
- 2teaspoons cocoa powder (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (16 servings)
223 calories; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 28 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 160 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
Put the prunes along with 1½ cups water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until the fruit is very soft and starting to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in molasses and baking soda, then set aside.
Step
2
Position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Generously butter or spray, then flour a 12-cup, or 10-inch Bundt pan, and place it on a baking sheet.
Step
3
In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt; set aside.
Step
4
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and brown sugar on medium-speed until very thick and pale. With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream down the side of the bowl, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then set speed to low and add the molasses mixture. Beat until just incorporated, then scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing only until all traces of flour disappear. Transfer batter to the prepared Bundt pan.
Step
5
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the domed part of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert cake onto the rack, lift away the pan and cool completely to room temperature.
Step
6
Dust the cocoa powder over the cake, using a fine-mesh sieve or tea strainer, then transfer to a serving plate.
Ratings
4
out of 5
308
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Rachel
How would this be with regular flour?
Liz
This looks amazing, but I don't own a bundt pan. Any suggestions for other pan/baking time combos?
Mark
I'm going to try this cake, since I love Gingerbread. I think I'm going to add some fresh ginger along with the powdered. Whenever I make Gingerbread, I always add fresh ginger and it really makes it better.
Su
Assuming that the recipe means whole and not white spelt: spelt is usually a softer (lower protein) flour that will help yield more tender results when baking whole-grain. Whole wheat pastry flour is a good substitute, or just use all white whole-wheat and know that the cake will be slightly drier and firmer.
bill
Seeing all the whole wheat and spelt, I'm wondering if I could make this with gluten-free flour?
Karen
I have found that the amount of batter for a bundt pan will make two good sized cakes baked in loaf pans. If you're not cooking for a crowd, this provides the added benefit of a cake that is easy to store in a freezer.
Grace
This turned out absolutely delicious!I ramped up the spices because I know who I'm baking for (2T ginger, 2T cinnamon) and I dusted the cake with powdered sugar instead of cocoa powder to give it a snow-dusted look.It was a total hit at our holiday party last night!
bluesgroove
Bob’s Red Mill has spelt flour.
Linda
I served this with fresh whipped cream (added a little confectioner's sugar to the cream) and it was a sensation. My guests were crazy about it. Very easy.
GC
Hi! Not sure about alternative pans but if you would like to get a Bundt pan I recommend Nordic Ware. The pans are very sturdy and cake comes out, does not stick. They also have a fun outlet store if you are ever in suburban Minneapolis. See: www.nordicware.com.
KPS
King Arthur makes white whole wheat flour
Hilary
I made this with regular flour, and it was very good -- much better the second day!
PinkBlackCat
For those of us whose cakes turned out bitter, the problem is probably the type of molasses used (the recipe doesn't specify). Blackstrap molasses is bitter, the by-product of three extractions. Probably cane syrup (first extraction and quite sweet) should be used. Also the recipe doesn't say whether sulphured or un-sulphured; perhaps the baking soda is meant to neutralize the sulphur, but if you don't use sulphured molasses, then maybe it could be added to the dry ingredients.
Xandra
Thank you. I think you might have solved the conundrum. I too was puzzled as to which molasses to use. Was even tempted to use Lyle's golden syrup as that is what I had on hand. But when with "full flavored" molasses which is sweetish. Read up some and see that perhaps I should use "light" molasses, also called "sweet," "Barbados," or "mild." And add the soda to other dry ingredients to get that lift that the photograph shows.
Ann
Make sure prunes are in small pieces otherwise they will settle to bottom of cake. It still tastes good but is better with fruit interspersed throughout.
Susan
By looking at the picture mine did not rise as much. I used white flour for both flours. Maybe that is why. Moist with amazing flavor and just hint of chewiness on the outside. My family loved it, especially with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Linda
I served this with fresh whipped cream (added a little confectioner's sugar to the cream) and it was a sensation. My guests were crazy about it. Very easy.
Ann
Make sure prunes are in small pieces otherwise they will settle to bottom of cake. It still tastes good but is better with fruit interspersed throughout.
Suzanne
I just tasted my effort; it was disappointing. Molasses comes through too strongly and overpowers all other flavors. From reading through the Most Helpful notes, I added extra cinnamon and even grated fresh ginger into the prune mixture. I couldn't even taste the black-cocoa powder dusting.I've never tossed out a cake before but I'm thinking of doing it now.
Suzanne
Can anyone recommend a glaze that would complement this cake? I used unsulphured organic blackstrap molasses. The recipe writer might have been more specific since the wrong style can blow the whole thing!Mine didn't rise nearly as much as the photo. My spices, flour, baking soda and even baking powder are very fresh, bought in small quantities from a high-volume co-op.I made a mini-cake alongside the bundt, so I could find out how the recipe turned out before inflicting it on others.
Em
We did not like this recipe at all. The prunes did not really meld well with the rest of the ingredients. Too bad, it looked like it would be good.
PinkBlackCat
For those of us whose cakes turned out bitter, the problem is probably the type of molasses used (the recipe doesn't specify). Blackstrap molasses is bitter, the by-product of three extractions. Probably cane syrup (first extraction and quite sweet) should be used. Also the recipe doesn't say whether sulphured or un-sulphured; perhaps the baking soda is meant to neutralize the sulphur, but if you don't use sulphured molasses, then maybe it could be added to the dry ingredients.
Xandra
Thank you. I think you might have solved the conundrum. I too was puzzled as to which molasses to use. Was even tempted to use Lyle's golden syrup as that is what I had on hand. But when with "full flavored" molasses which is sweetish. Read up some and see that perhaps I should use "light" molasses, also called "sweet," "Barbados," or "mild." And add the soda to other dry ingredients to get that lift that the photograph shows.
Xandra
It didn't rise as much as photograph showed. Wasn't sure whether water/prune/molasses mixture had to cool first. Let it sit while I did steps 2, 3, half of 4. It was still very hot, so cooled it - was concerned it would "cook" eggs. The baking soda made the liquid boil up. Surprised it was added to molasses mixture and not to dry ingredients. Came out dense but tasty wo will make it again and increase ginger and cinnamon as suggested by Grace. Any thoughts, suggestions?
Grace
This turned out absolutely delicious!I ramped up the spices because I know who I'm baking for (2T ginger, 2T cinnamon) and I dusted the cake with powdered sugar instead of cocoa powder to give it a snow-dusted look.It was a total hit at our holiday party last night!
ASK
I had my doubts, but this is the perfect gingerbread cake. Very tender and light, not too sweet and a good spice flavor. I used white flour because I couldn't find white whole wheat, plus the spelt. It might need a citrus cream cheese frosting!
maire
It was a fine cake. Of course, being a bundt, half of it stuck in the pan but the taste was nice. My husband loved it, actually. I think, though, I'll stick to a plain ginger cake in future.
maire
Going to try this tomorrow. Looks really nice and it is easy.
evelyn
This turned out wonderfully. I had to bake it an extra 15 min but it’s still moist. I don’t think it needs any cocoa but powdered sugar would look pretty.
Valerie
This recipe is a FAIL! I am an experienced baker, and as my family loves ginger and gingerbread, I decided to try this for Thanksgiving. It was AWFUL! The cake looked beautiful, because of the shape of the bundt pan, but it was inedible. It was dry and had no sweetness, and left a terrible aftertaste, like the finish one gets when eating molasses straight. I reviewed the recipe multiple times to make sure I had followed it correctly, and I had. Something is very wrong with this recipe.
PinkBlackCat
I had the same experience. The cake was bitter, inedible. (And I actually like eating blackstrap molasses straight). On the smallish side too. And I checked and rechecked the recipe. It released easily from the bundt pan without little ado.(I wish I had known about adding baking soda to molasses and prunes in elementary school. The baking soda-vinegar volcano is nothing compared to this blackish molasses-prune brew! I thought it was going to take over the kitchen! Good for Halloween)
Shaila Andrabi
I made this for thanksgiving. My kids thought it was too dry. What is the texture supposed to be? I used everything as in the recipe.
Suzanne
The oil in this recipe ensures a moist cake (not to mention the prune-molasses-water mixture). Did you leave the oil out?
Private notes are only visible to you.
