On Gingerbread

The cake version!

Welcome to the Friday post for paid subscribers. This cake is perfectly suited for the holidays and so utterly delicious that I actually had to give it away because I couldn’t stop eating it. On Tuesday, all subscribers will receive a post about the three essential wines to have on hand for holiday celebrations. It’ll be the second-to-last post this year!

Though I love baking and absolutely require some form of a sweet treat after dinner, I would never describe myself as having a sweet tooth. I prefer desserts that have a good balance of flavors, bringing something more interesting to the table than just “sweet.”

This cake is the perfect example of my kind of sweet treat: it’s well-spiced, light, and interesting. Yes, there’s sugar (and molasses!), but there’s also salt and kefir and lots of other flavors happening too. It doesn’t need it, but a light dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream take it from breakfast snack to after dinner delight. It’s like all of those outfits I was told I’d need as an adult—it transitions perfectly from day to night!

It reminds me a bit of this pumpkin cake from a few weeks ago, but a much subtler version. Much like pumpkin pie, gingerbread wasn’t my favorite flavor as a kid. Unlike pumpkin pie, gingerbread has become something that I crave all throughout the year. This cake (I think) is a year-round gem, especially if you served it with some fresh macerated fruit. I mean, gingerbread and fresh strawberries? Life could not be more delicious.

This recipe was loosely adapted from the one in Yossy Arefi’s book Snacking Cakes, which I highly recommend. I got to hear Yossy speak at last month’s Cooks & Books conference that was put on by Cherry Bombe, and I love the thoughtfulness she brings to simple bakes. I tweaked her recipe a bit to fit my tastes and particularities (i.e. preferring to bake with kefir instead of buttermilk), and hey, presto: this recipe!

Gingerbread Cake