Spice Up Your Life Gingerbread

This delicious recipe for Gingerbread is in the Foster's Market cookbook. I love ginger! The spices in this bread are deep -- I like it on its own but it is also delicious with sweetened whipped cream, ice cream (maybe the Haagen Dazs Ginger ice cream for a double whammy of ginger) or possibly homemade applesauce.

I had to put a big dollop of whipped cream on it to disguise the fact that it sank while baking -- sadly a fact of life living here at 6,000 feet. Next time I make it I will reduce the baking powder even more...and maybe I will add some chopped crystallized ginger.

Makes 2 loaves
INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground pepper
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups molasses
1 cup brewed strong coffee, cooled

METHOD

Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; Grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl and stir to mix.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the molasses to the butter mixture in a slow, steady stream while continuing to beat on low speed. Add the coffee, and continue to beat until all the ingredients are well blended.

Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until all the dry ingredients are moist and blended. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and place the pans on the center rack of the oven.

Bake 40-45 minutes, until the bread rises and springs back lightly when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean.

Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pans. Serve warm or place on a wire rack to cool.

Serve for dessert, or breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack.