Cranberry Ginger Cake
2CUPS fresh or frozen cranberries
1CUP sugar
1stick butter or margarine
2/3CUP brown sugar
1/2CUP each of milk & maple syrup
1/4CUP molasses
1 1/4CUP all purpose flour
1TBSP ground ginger
1/2TSP each ground cinnamon, baking powder & salt
1/4TSP each baking soda & black pepper
2 large beaten eggs
1TBSP fresh ginger.
Icing:
Cream cheese icing, candied cranberries
Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a nine inch square pan. I used two smaller cast iron pans to make a double decker cake.
In a small, saucepan, stir together cranberries, granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Stir the cranberries over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and cranberries form a sauce that is bubbly and thick about 10 minutes. Half the cranberries should be broken down with the remainder left whole.
In a separate saucepan, stir together the butter, brown sugar, milk, maple syrup and molasses over medium heat. Bring it to a low simmer and then remove it from the heat. Do not let it come to a boil, or the mixture may curdle.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and black pepper. Beat in the butter-maple syrup mixture and then beat in the eggs. Stir in the ginger.
Scrape the batter into the pan. Drop cranberry sauce onto the surface of the cake batter. Drag a skewer stick through the batter mixing cranberries in nicely, as if you are marbling a cake. Transfer the cake to the oven and bake it until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire baking rack and let the cake cool completely before eating it.
Mine took less time as I did smaller cakes.
Icing isn’t needed but we love it.
