Gingerbread has been around for centuries and has been enjoyed by people worldwide. It is made in various shapes and sizes and is used to decorate cakes, cookies, and other desserts. It is also used to make gingerbread houses and men, popular holiday decorations. Many recipes use gingerbread as an ingredient, such as muffins, bread, and cakes.
Brief History and Origin
Gingerbread originated in Europe in the 16th century. It is believed that it was first made in Germany, where it was known as Lebkuchen, which translates to “cake of life.” It was originally made with honey and spices such as ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, giving it its distinctive flavor.
By the 17th century, gingerbread had become so popular that it was sold in markets and fairs all over Europe. The traditional recipe for gingerbread contained honey and spices, but it also often contained almonds and dried fruits.
Ginger Bread – The Recipe
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 30 mins
- Total time: 50 mins
- Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 100g unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp. golden syrup
- 100g white sugar
- 235 ml molasses
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. ginger, ground
- 1 tbsp. cloves, ground
- 1 tsp. cinnamon, ground
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 50g icing sugar
- 1 cup hot water
- ½ tsp. salt
Instructions
- Prepare the oven and preheat it to 175 degrees C. Also, prepare a 9″ square pan by greasing and flouring.
- Add butter to a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and continue beating for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Now add egg and mix, then add molasses and mix until consistent.
- Add baking soda, four salt cloves, ginger, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the molasses mixture until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- When ready, remove from the oven, leave to rest until cool, then remove from pan, slice and serve.
Popular variations
Here are a few ways you can change this basic recipe to adjust it to your liking:
- Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins with Maple Vanilla Glaze: The gingerbread muffins are made in the delicious flavor of fall, pumpkin. And the maple vanilla glaze is perfect on the top. It will become your favorite fall and winter treat for sure.
- Apple Gingerbread Cake: This scrumptious upside-down cake has notes of apple pie and gingerbread cake. We love how the caramelized apple slices give deep flavor and an element of soft butteriness.
- Pain D’epices: Pain D’epices is a French Gingerbread loaf loaded with festive spices and deliciousness. It is light on sweetness and has a dense texture than traditional gingerbread. It is best for someone who likes less sweet desserts.
- Gingerbread Roll with Lemon Cream Cheese Filling: The gingerbread cake made into a cream roll is a genius idea. The lemon cream filling cuts through the spices from the gingerbread, making it sweet, tart, and delicious.
- Gingerbread Cheesecake: Gingerbread-based Cheesecake is a dream come true for all cheesecake and gingerbread lovers. It has a spiced base and creamy and cheesy filling with a slight hint of spice and cute gingerbread cookie topping.
