Ginger Cake

This recipe is from The Something in Season blog done by Brendon. Check out his blog for some great recipes and cooking tips.

This cake was fabulous, I didn't use the frosting...I didn't think it needed it. It would be a great coffee cake or cake with tea, family dessert. It was quick to make, and the only "work" involved was chopping the ginger...but totally worth the effort.

Tip: This is the original recipe, stands wonderfully on it's own, I like to add chopped pecans and a touch of vanilla.

Something in Season: Dark Chocolate-Frosted Ginger Cake - New & Improved!

DARK CHOCOLATE-FROSTED GINGER CAKE

Cake
• 1 ½ cups brown rice flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
• ½ cup turbinado or brown sugar
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup fresh ginger root, peeled and finely minced (not grated)
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ¼ cup grapeseed oil (if you must, you can use canola oil instead)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by using a paring knife to peel the ginger. Then, using a large knife, mince the ginger until it is fine. Note that if you grate the ginger, the texture and taste will be different. You’ll also want to reduce the amount of ginger to 1/3 cup.
In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Once uniform, stir in the ginger. Pour into a well-oiled, 8-inch round pan. Bake for 34 minutes. While cooling, make the frosting.


Chocolate Frosting:
• 3 ounces dark (70%+) chocolate
• ½ cup coconut milk (regular, not light)
• 2 tablespoons turbinado or brown sugar
Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Combine the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl (like Pyrex glass) and set on a pot filled with an inch or two of water. Bring that water to a boil, and whisk the chocolate / coconut milk mixture until it melts together. Remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Frost the cake while still warm.
Noted: while warm, this frosting has the consistency of syrup. It will form a lovely, rich, drippy chocolate covering for the cake. If you prefer your frosting stiffer, reduce the amount of coconut milk by half.