Delectable 04 - Gingerbread Palace Page 13

  6. Put icing in pastry bag (if using) and pipe or spread decoratively onto cookies.

  7. Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature if you have any left.

  Gluten-Free Gingerbread Cake

  Alex doesn’t want you to miss out on the gingerbread fun. You can use any GF flour blend. In the US, Better Batter, King Arthur, and Trader Joe’s all have all-purpose flour blends, or use your favorite homemade blend. It’s best to weigh the flour instead of measuring by volume because different component flours have different density that will throw off the ratio of flour to other key ingredients.

  Like other gluten-free baked products, this one is going to be lighter and fluffier than non-GF, but adding the dark molasses, dark brown sugar, and honey will help achieve the rich moistness you crave in gingerbread.

  2 1/2 cups (350 g) high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour

  1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum (leave out if your blend contains it)

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  1/2 teaspoon baking powder

  2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  2 teaspoons ground ginger

  1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

  1/2 cup (109 g) packed dark brown sugar

  2 tablespoons dark molasses

  6 tablespoons pure maple syrup

  4 tablespoons honey

  8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  1 extra-large egg at room temperature, beaten

  1 cup warm water

  2 tablespoons (28 g) vegetable oil

  1/4 cup finely chopped candied ginger

  Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9x9-inch baking pan and set it aside.

  2. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and granulated sugar. Whisk to combine well.

  3. Add the brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, honey, butter, and egg. Mix to combine as best you can. Don’t worry if it is lumpy at first. Add the water and mix until it smooths out. Blend in the oil.

  4. Fold in the chopped candied ginger.

  5. Pour into prepared pan and place in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. The liquid sugars tend to blacken the cake on the bottom, but it still tastes good.

  6. Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, even though you know you want to eat it now. Dust with optional powdered sugar.

  About the Author

  EM LYNLEY has worked finance, the wine industry, and high-tech, though she’d rather be writing hot man-on-man romance. She spent ten years as an economist and financial analyst, including a year as a White House Staff Economist, but only because all the intern positions were filled. Tired of boring herself and others with dry business reports and articles, her creative muse is back and naughtier than ever. She has lived and worked in London, Tokyo, and Washington, DC, but the San Francisco Bay Area is home for now.

  Visit her website at http://www.emlynley.com

  her blog at http://emlynley.livejournal.com

  her Twitter page at http://twitter.com/emlynley

  and her Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/emlynley.