Chocolate Gingerbread Cake: National Gingerbread Day

According to The Nibble today is National Gingerbread Day, but June 5 is also designated as National Gingerbread Day. I think today is more in keeping with Gingerbread Day. (Just an FYI, December 12 is Gingerbread House Day). I associate Gingerbread with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Fall/Winter season in general. That being said, I hate to miss posting a chocolate holiday recipe, so I know you'll like this recipe for "Chocolate Gingerbread" from 1919 Crisco Advertisement.

I grew up with Crisco, and I still use it in many recipes. Crisco was introduced by Procter & Gamble in 1911 to provide an economical alternative to animal fats and butter. Crisco was the first solidified shortening product made entirely of vegetable oil. This was the result of hydrogenation, a new process that produced shortening that would stay in solid form year-round, regardless of temperature.

I love that the Crisco Cookbook in this Advertisement was only 25 cents (or 10 cents in stamps)! Check out this recipe for Chocolate Gingerbread Cake. Gingerbread season is almost upon us. Get Baking!

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake: National Gingerbread Day II

According to The Nibble today is National Gingerbread Day, but November 21 is also designated as National Gingerbread Day, and I think that's more in keeping with Gingerbread. Just an FYI, December 12 is Gingerbread House Day.

I associate Gingerbread with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the Fall/Winter season in general. That being said, I hate to miss posting a chocolate holiday recipe. So here's a recipe for Chocolate Gingerbread Cake. This is more of a coffee cake, and I've made it in both a loafpan and bundt pan. Recipe is adapted from McCormick's, the spice people. Gingerbread is, after all, a spice cake. As I've said before, the food product and association sites have some awesome recipes. You can always substitute your own spices and chocolate for taste variations. And If you're looking for Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies, have a look at last November's National Gingebread Day post.

A little Gingerbread History from Gone-ta-pott.com: The town of Market Drayton in Shropshire, UK is known as the "home of gingerbread," The first recorded mention of gingerbread being baked in the town dates back to 1793; however, it was probably made earlier as ginger was stocked in high street businesses from the 1640s. Gingerbread became widely available in the 1700s. 
  
CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD CAKE

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder
1 tablespoon ground Ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/2 cup sweet butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
1 cup boiling water

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, cocoa powder, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Beat butter, sugar and molasses in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Mix in egg. Add flour mixture alternately with water, stirring just until mixed. Pour into greased 9-inch square baking pan (or bundt pan)*
3. Bake 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack to cool completely.

Photo: McCormick's