Gingerbread Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache and Orange Zest

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 8–10 people

Ingredients

For the cake:

• Nonstick cooking spray or unsalted butter at room temperature (for greasing the pan)

• 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour

• ½ tsp kosher salt (Morton)

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ½ cup light molasses

• ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger (from a 7–8 cm piece)

• 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest (from 1 medium orange)

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large egg

For the ganache and topping:

• 100–115 g dark chocolate (70%), chopped

• ½ cup heavy cream

• ¼ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal or Morton)

Preparation

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line the bottom of a 20 cm round pan with parchment paper and grease with butter or spray.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a separate cup, mix molasses with water.

3. In another bowl, beat the brown sugar, butter, ginger, orange zest, cinnamon, and black pepper until creamy (≈5 minutes). Add the egg and mix well.

4. Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the molasses mixture, mixing until combined. The batter may appear slightly lumpy.

5. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

6. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, run a thin knife around the edges, then invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ganache and Decoration:

1. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl.

2. Heat cream with salt in a small saucepan until it starts to simmer lightly, then pour over the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes, then gently whisk until smooth.

3. Allow ganache to cool until pourable (≈30 minutes) or chill for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Pour ganache over the cooled cake (invert the cake for a flat surface), spread with a spatula, allowing some to drip down the sides.

5. Let the cake sit until the ganache sets (30 minutes at room temperature or 10 minutes in the fridge).

Make-Ahead Tips:

• Bake the cake a day in advance and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

• Cover with ganache a day ahead and store under a large inverted bowl in a cool place.