Reese's Gingerbread Cake with Maple Whipped Cream

Reese's Gingerbread Cake

with Maple Whipped Cream

This cake is brought to you by my daughter, Reese, age 3.  In order to avoid misconceptions, this cake is not made out of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  It is the product of several weeks of begging to make gingerbread man cookies until she wore her poor mother down and I eventually gave in.  One day I asked her if she would compromise and make a gingerbread cake with me for dessert for a dinner party.  Instead of answering the question, she leapt into the air and squealed with an ear bleeding pitch that is still vibrating off the walls of my kitchen.  With her enthusiasm for gingerbread and her excitement at its zenith, she ran over to the lowest drawer I have in the kitchen and got out her apron, her rolling pin and a garlic press.  The apple does not fall far from the tree.

This cake serves about 6 people.  It's dark, moist and can be served with several accompaniments.  My choice was maple whipped cream.  Im not talking about the cream from a can, but real whipping cream with a little sugar and a drop of maple extract, whipped until slightly thick. I simply cannot find the words to describe how wonderful this was with a cup of coffee on the side after a very satisfying dinner.  It was the perfect end to a wonderful evening. Sometimes life is hectic and stressful.  I'm convinced it's these fairytale moments that pull us through it.

You and I are the kind of people who clip the same 'type' of recipe until we have about 18 versions of the same thing.  This recipe is a combination of a few gingerbread cake recipes I have saved over the years. I didn't add cloves because my husband is not fond of cloves, but you can add it, about 1/8 of a teaspoon.  You and I will be making this over and over again.  Let's get started.

Ingredients
1 C. boiling water
1 C. dark molasses
1 t. baking soda
1/2 C. cold water
2 1/2 C. flour
1 T baking powder
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1 t. salt
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs

Ingredients for cake topping
powdered sugar for dusting
1 pint whipping cream
1 T sugar
1 t. maple extract

Directions for cake
In a heat proof bowl (I used a Pyrex), add one cup of boiling water, molasses and baking soda.  Stir until combined.  It will be foamy.  Stir in 1/2 cup cold water.  In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.  If you are putting in the 1/8 cloves, do it here.  In a separate mixing bowl, mix shortening and brown sugar until well blended.  Beat in eggs.  While mixing on low, add molasses mixture.  Add dry ingredients until just combined.  Pour batter into prepared, 9 inch square baking pan.  Bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven when done and let cool in pan for about an hour and a half.  Remove cake from pan by placing plate or cake stand inverted over top and flip over until right side up.  Carefully lift cake pan.  Serve with maple whipped cream.

Directions for Maple Whipped Cream
In a glass mixing bowl, pour in whipping cream, sugar and maple extract.  Whip with a handmixer until thick.  Do not overmix. 

To prepare dessert on plates, place one slice of cake on plate, dust with powdered sugar, add whipped cream.  Serve.  It's so good!