Stout Gingerbread

A steady pour of rich, beer adds a malty bite to this ultra-moist gingerbread. And it keeps gloriously well—“this cake tastes even better in the days after baking, so a little self-restraint will pay off if you can bear to leave it untouched for a day or two,” says author Ruby Tandoh.

60 grams (¼ cup) unsalted butter
¼ cup molasses
60 grams (5 Tbsp.) dark or light brown sugar
2 to 2 ½ inches fresh ginger, grated
7 Tbsp. stout, porter, or brown ale
1 large egg, lightly beaten
120 grams (scant 1 cup) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
8-inch round cake pan

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the pan and line it with parchment paper.

Combine the butter, molasses and sugar in a pan over low heat and cook just until the butter is melted. Stir in the fresh ginger and ale. Using a whisk or fork, beat in the egg.

Mix the flour, ground ginger, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Add the molasses mixture gradually, whisking all the time, and continue to mix until well combined and clump-free.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is springy and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Makes one 8-inch round cake.

Reprinted with permission from Crumb: A Baking Book by Ruby Tandoh. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.