The following is an online extra from our December 2019 issue, heading to newsstands soon.
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Stout Gingerbread Cake With Lemon Curd
By Sarah Tocco, head chef at Fine Creek Brewing Co.
For the cake
8 ounces Fine Creek Brewing American Stout or Thai Tea Milk Stout (though any stout will work)
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
2 cups (10 ounces by weight) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ginger powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
4 ounces sugar
4 ounces brown sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
For the curd
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a large saucepan, add the stout and bring to a boil; then add the baking soda and stir just enough to incorporate. It will foam up, continuing to foam the more you stir. Set aside and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cake’s wet ingredients, as well as the sugar and brown sugar. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining dry ingredients for the cake. Then combine wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, stirring just enough to combine, and then add the beer mixture. Pour into a greased 8-by-8-inch pan, then bake at 325 for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and middle is set.
While the cake is baking, make the lemon curd. In a medium saucepan on medium heat, combine the first six curd ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and the egg. When the lemon butter mixture begins to boil, slowly pour it into the egg mixture, little bits at a time, whisking constantly. Once you’ve poured it all in, return the resulting mixture to the saucepan and heat on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Take off the heat as soon as it begins to boil. Pour through a sieve and serve warm over gingerbread.
