Monday Munchie - La Cuisine d'Hélène: Part 1

Fall is officially here!
OK, it's been here a few weeks now, but the weather is finally getting it's point across that it's here to stay.

Red leaves.
Pretty yes. 
But it always equals more lawn work.
Which I despise.
Apple Cider.
I could drink gallons of that stuff.
Why is it always so darn expensive?
Cozy sweaters.
Yet another reason I love the PNW.....you can pretty much wear sweaters year round.
Lazy rainy weekends.
Love an excuse for those!
Colds & Flu.
Hitting our house right now. 
Everyone except for me. 
Most perplexing.....

But the exciting part........
What I live for......
BAKING SEASON!
Rev up those ovens, friends.
Let's blow the top off this bad boy with some Gingerbread Cake.
That's right.
You don't have to wait until Christmas for your Gingerbread men fix.
You can have it cake-a-fied today!

La Cuisine d'Hélène has your fancy fall recipes all mapped out.
I whipped this deliciousness up in just a matter of minutes.
I also happened to have all but the molasses in house.
Amazing!

Let's get started with the basic ingredients:

Those are your old friends:
Eggs
Flour
Sugar
Salt
Baking Soda
Butter
Milk
Buttermilk

Then come the Droolworthy special guest stars:

That's:
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cocoa
Allspice
Molasses
Cloves
and Vanilla.
Wait a sec......
Vanilla!
That little photohog isn't supposed to be in there just yet.
He's part of Team Frosting. 
Just ignore him for now.

Enough teasing, let's get started with Hélène's delicious recipe..........mmmmmmk?

Step. 1:
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease bottom and sides of 11 by 7-inch baking pan; dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
I decided to mix it up a little and used a bundt pan instead. I just doubled the recipe and added an extra 30 minutes to the baking time. 
Want to mix up what pan to use, too?  
Take a looksie at this handy conversion chart.

Instead of greasing the pan with butter and then flouring, I used my handy cooking sprays instead:

Easy peasey!

 

Step 2:

Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cocoa in medium bowl.

Step 3:

Beat butter, molasses, and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until combined.

Beat in egg until incorporated.

A whole bottle of molasses. You know it's going to be good!

 

Gradually add buttermilk and milk until combined.

Step 4:

Add dry ingredients to liquid; beat on medium speed until batter is smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed.

Do not overmix.

If using fresh ginger, batter will be lumpy.

Scrape batter into prepared pan.

Forgive my lack of photographing steps today, friends. 
I have a sick house hold to take care of at the moment. 
But you know what? 

Stuffy heads be damned, they could smell the fantastic spices before it even hit the oven! 

This is one fragrant beast of a cake!

Step 5:

Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, and edges have pulled away from the pan sides, about 40 minutes. (Or 70 minutes for a bundt pan. But you may want to check your cake every 10 minutes after 30....my oven runs a little wonky sometimes. Better safe then sorry!)

Step 6:

Set pan on wire cake rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. 

Step 7:

Then you're going to want to flip your hefty baby over to the pretty side:

Step 8:

Hélène suggested either dusting it with powdered sugar or whipping up some cream cheese frosting.

I personally LOVE any excuse to use cream cheese frosting, so of course I went with the latter.

I had these friends help me:

They whipped up nicely into this:

 

I gave serious thought to stuffing my head in and going to town.

Frosting eventually took place, albeit with a plain ol' rubber spatula that's been in the trenches for years and years.

I really should pick up one of these:

(But you know what?

Don't worry your pretty head about it if you don't have one either.
Just use your rubber spatula.
........The cake will taste just the same!)

Voila!
Fall on a plate:

See that big chunk out of the cake?

Yeah.

That was made from two adults and a ravenous 16 month old.

In one sitting.

It's that good!

Ready for the recipe?

Gingerbread Cake

 La Cuisine d'Hélène

2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose unbleached flour (11 1/4 ounces), plus more for dusting pan
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon Dutch-processed cocoa powder
8 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, then cooled to room temperature
3/4 cup mild molasses
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk

**Remember.....since I used a bundt pan instead I had to double everything.

(I like to write out my doubled ingredients before hand so I don't slip and forget to double one. It's happened.)

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 11 by 7-inch baking pan; dust with flour, tapping out any excess.

2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and cocoa in medium bowl.

3. Beat butter, molasses, and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Beat in egg until incorporated. Gradually add buttermilk and milk until combined.

4. Add dry ingredients to liquid; beat on medium speed until batter is smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Do not overmix. If using fresh ginger, batter will be lumpy. Scrape batter into prepared pan.

5. Bake until top springs back when lightly touched, and edges have pulled away from the pan sides, about 40 minutes.

6. Set pan on wire cake rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm, or at room temperature. (Gingerbread can be wrapped in plastic, then foil, and refrigerated up to 5 days.)

Cream Cheese Frosting

By The Golden Drool

1/2 c. of butter (room temperature)

8 oz. cream cheese (straight from fridge)

1 t. vanilla

1 lb. powdered sugar + more to taste

Step 1:

Cream your butter and cream cheese together

Step 2:

Add vanilla

Step 3:

Gradually add your powdered sugar

Step 4: Frost your masterpiece!

Next up:

Part 2 of the Monday Munchie - La Cuisine d'Hélène recipe round up & review!