Gingerbread Pound Cake with Molasses Glaze and Gingersnaps
A buttery pound cake spiced with a full tablespoon of ground ginger plus cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, baked in one loaf pan and finished with a poured molasses glaze. The glaze sets into a firm shell, so the slices stay neat, and crushed gingersnaps on top are optional.
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 410kcal
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1½ sticks unsalted butter ¾ cup, 170 g, softened to room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar 300 g
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons sour cream 30 g, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons molasses 63 g, regular unsulphured
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml
- 1 teaspoon almond extract 5 ml
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour about 180 g
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger about 5 g
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon about 2.5 g
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg about 1 g
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice about 1 g
- 3 tablespoons buttermilk 45 ml, at room temperature
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar about 120 g
- 1 tablespoon molasses 21 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste 5 ml
- 2 tablespoons milk 30 ml
For the topping
- 2 to 3 gingersnap cookies crushed, optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x5 inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
- Beat the butter and sugar until paler and lighter. It will stay slightly sandy.
- Add the eggs, sour cream, molasses, vanilla and almond extract and beat for a few minutes. It may look curdled, which is fine.
- Whisk together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Add to the batter gradually on low speed, then add the buttermilk and mix just until no dry flour remains.
- Spread the batter in the pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, checking from 50 minutes. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns too fast.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
- Whisk the powdered sugar, molasses and vanilla bean paste, then add the milk gradually until the glaze is smooth, thick and pourable.
- Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, scatter the crushed gingersnaps over it while it's wet, and let the glaze set before slicing.
Notes
- Make ahead and storage: bake and glaze the cake up to a day ahead. Keep it covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: wrap the cooled, unglazed cake tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it wrapped, then glaze.
- Swaps: salted butter works, since the recipe has no other salt. For a nut allergy, replace the almond extract with another teaspoon of vanilla extract. Vanilla extract can stand in for the vanilla bean paste in the glaze.