Gingerbread is not just for the holidays... at least not in our home!
When I was looking to (re)create my favorite recipes to be lower in carbs and sugars, one of the first ones I reached for was this gingerbread recipe...
Below is the original recipe (from the very very early days of Pasta & Company, in Seattle). I've put my substitutions in italics. So you have options if you like...
Fresh Ginger Gingerbread
2 - ounce knob fresh ginger, peeled & chopped + 2 Tbs veg oil to process || I mince the ginger and forgo the oil
1 egg
1/2 c. packed dark brown sugar || swap this out for 1-2 Tbs monkfruit sweetener
1/2 c. veg oil || swap this out for same amount of either applesauce or pureed pumpkin
1/4 c. molasses + 1/4 c. Karo syrup || swap this out for 1/2 c. molasses
1 oz. candied ginger, finely minced || omit this
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 c. flour || I swap this for a mix of King Arthur's Irish Style Flour + King Arthur's Super 10 Blend - it's closer to between 1 1/3 c. and 1 1/2 c.
1/2 tsp cinnamon || 3/4 tsp cinnamon + pinch of ground cloves + 1/2 tsp ground ginger + 1+ tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. buttermilk
Then butter an 8-inch square pyrex. I use a silpat mini bundt cake atop a cooking sheet (no spray, no oil, just batter directly into the silpat forms)
Mix together the wet ingredients. Separately mix together the dry ingredients. Add wet to dry with a large rubber spatula, making sure everything is well blended. You'll see the batter puff a bit from the soda reaction. I use the largest size cookie scoop to plop the batter into the silicone forms, so they are equal. To be clear, there is more batter than the 12 bundt silpat can hold, so they poof over a bit - which is just fine if you're going for that rustic look...
Brian likes these with whipped cream (with monkfruit sweetener + vanilla bean or rum) but I think they are fine as is. Just don't bake them so long they are dry. [Brian's note: Let's be clear. I like whipped cream with a bit of gingerbread on the side...:-)]
Bake at 350-degrees for 30-40 minutes (or until done).
Comments
Oh my goodness! Thank you! Not only for the recipes but also for the load of memories that flushed through my heart after reading this. And when I read ‘candied ginger’ my mouth literally started to water!
I’m definitely making this – perhaps playing around with both recipes and inventing a third one. Have a blessed festive time and thank you for the joy you bring with your art and presence.
I went to UW in the late 70’s, and they used to sell these massive hunks of whole wheat, fresh gingery, oily gingerbread. It was my dreamiest treat, and I’ve been trying to recreate it ever since. I’m going to try both the original and the tinkered-with versions. Thank you Fia! This could be it!