It feels as if I have been out of touch for a while. I guess it is true. But I have been lurking in the background, reading blogs, but just not commenting. I even made the Best Ever Brownies from TWD two weeks ago, but did not have time to blog about it. Oh well.
Things around here have been busy. I guess that is how it is around the holiday season. Cooking, baking, school events, family events, club events, just to name a few. Well I did find the time to make these Gingerbread Baby Cakes, or as I would have preferred to call them, Gingerbread Brownie Cakes. The recipe can be found in Baking with Julie, by Dorie Greenspan. The host this time is Karen. You can find the recipe on her blog Karen’s Kitchen Stories.
I followed the recipe, except that I substituted 1 – 1/2 cups of Barley Malt (left over from the Whole Wheat Bread recipe) and 1/2 cup of dark corn syrup for the 2 cups of molasses required for the recipe. This happened by accident. When I quickly read the recipe the first time, I saw the molasses, but remembered it as 2 tablespoons, not 2 cups. I had the barley malt and thought I would save some money by using that instead of buying molasses that I would not use again. So when I went to make the recipe and saw it really needed 2 cups of molasses, I just had to make some substitutions. Of course I have no idea how this cake was supposed to taste with the molasses. Hopefully Lauren from Foodie in Flight can tell us, as she took home one of my cakes from the South Jersey Food Swap last weekend, and is supposed to be baking it the right way.
I used 3.5″ diameter baking cups that were about 3/4″ high.
The batter generously filled 12 of them. Had I filled them less generously, which really would have been better, I am guessing I would have gotten 16 cakes. Since they were so full of batter, some of the cakes overflowed. This was not very attractive.
And for some reason, which I guess has to do with whipping the butter for a really long time, I had holes all over the tops of the cakes. It looked like the craters on the moon. I dusted the cakes with powdered sugar to hide this. Inside the cake it was moist and chewy, like a brownie, hence my calling these Gingerbread Brownie Cakes.
As I mentioned earlier, I brought my little cakes to my food swap this past weekend. People tried them and wanted them, so I guess they were pretty good. I thought they were good, but probably not something I would make again. It is just not my taste.
Anyhoo, in two weeks we are making Finnish Pulla. I would like to think it is something like the Panettone that I love so much, but probably not. The picture in Baking with Julia looks so lovely, as it is braided in a circle. I want to cover it in shellac and use it as a centerpiece. Maybe I will. Check back soon!
Perhaps the barley malt and dark syrup helped to lessen the intensity of the cake. The molasses was really strong. I like the look of your little cakes. The overflowing ones are adorable….almost like flat muffin tops. (and everyone loves the tops of muffins!) I didn’t love this cake. But I am looking forward to the Pulla…hopefully that will have better results for me.
I think it did lessen the flavor, in a good way. The cakes were good, and the muffin top was crunchy like a muffin top should be. Thanks for the comment!
I would have taken one of these home on Saturday, but I knew that my “boys” would enjoy the cookies more. This cake was so moist and sweet – a real treat for the holidays! Thanks for sharing your recipe and process
Oh thanks Jennifer. I hope your boys liked the madeleines.
Marlise, missed your blog posts and glad to see that you are posting agian! Your “Gingerbread Brownies Cakes” look lovely – I like that you baked them in pretty liners and brought them to a food swap, I am sure that they were very well received! Hopefully things will be a little less hectic (but probably not) in the coming weeks!
Things are still hectic. I forgot my son’s swimming lesson yesterday. I have never done that, and I feel terrible about it. I baked two cakes last week and plan to do two more this week. I cannot wait for January to relax a little!!!
Glad you’re back… mini gingerbread ‘brownie’ cakes and all!
Why thank you Jessica!
Your cakes look lovely. I did use the full two cups of molasses and that was more than enough. I’m also looking forward to making the Finnish Pulla bread; I think it will be very much like Challah.
I love challah, so it would be great if the Pulla were like it.
I think you did the right thing skipping the two cups of molasses!
Gingerbread brownies! Very creative
Thanks so much!
those are cute! I have some of those cups and have never used them and can’t even remember why I bought them. Great idea!
Thanks. It was my first time using the baking paper cups. They really did a good job. It was my fault that I put in too much batter and they overflowed. Thanks for the comment.
I know most seemed to think the molasses overpowered the flavor of this cake, however we all thought it tasted great. Maybe you discovered a recipe that more would enjoy. I think it is great to use what you have when you can.
Maybe I did. I thought the cakes were good, but just not my taste. And I hate buying ingredients that I may not use again. Thanks for the comment!
I loved the little holes that formed when baked! It was probably a good call that you did not use molasses – way too strong! Could not even taste the other flavors of this cake. I immediately thought of brownies when I ate this! I did like the texture of this bread, but that’s about it.
I am surprised more people did not think that they were like brownies. Thanks for the comment.
I didn’t get one!! I wanted one (and the cookies) but got your marmalade instead, which was delish as well
I’ll let you know if I end up making this. ‘Til next swap…
OMG! I thought for sure I gave you one! I am so sorry. I had an extra one and gave it to Abi. Oh well. Next time. : )