Well Fed Network

Posted by Ali Beauchamp on Just Baking.

If I ever have my own bakery, this recipe is going on the menu. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it. Moist and spicy with the pleasant tang of whipped cream cheese frosting. This recipe is from 1910 and from the amazing cookbook, Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters.

Cold Tea Gingerbread with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes one 9″ x 5″ loaf

1-1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. sifted flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup cold tea (I used Honey Ginger Peach tea)
1 scant tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 egg, beaten

1. Set the oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and ends of a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan with a single strip of wax paper or parchment paper. Coat the pan and wax paper liner with vegetable spray. *I used Pam with Flour liberally and was able to skip the wax paper/parchment paper step. I love that little can of spray. It is a miracle!
2. Mix together flour, ginger, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add molasses and combine.
4. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with cold tea. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add to batter. Add egg and combine thoroughly.
5. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 45 minutes, or until tester inserted into loaf comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Invert pan and place on rack to continue cooling. Serve gingerbread hot with lemon sauce or cold with whipped cream (or Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe below) and chipped walnuts. Store loosely covered with wax paper at room temperature.

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I used even less, probably half this amount, since it was all I had)
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. In a small bowl beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form; set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until smooth, then fold in whipped cream.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com