I made a batch of Oatmeal Stout, and as I was sipping one the other day, I spotted a recipe for a Guinness Gingerbread cake in Cooks Illustrated Magazine. Why not? I asked myself, and before you know it, I was in the kitchen.
I brought 3/4 cup Oatmeal Stout (you could use Guinness too, I guess) to a boil over high heat. I removed it from the heat and added 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. It foamed up magnificently. When it went away, I added 2/3 cup molasses, 2/3 cup of firmly packed brown sugar, and 1/4 cup table sugar, and stirred.
In a mixing bowl I whisked together a cup and a half of flour, 2 tbs ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper. In another bowl, I mixed 1/2 cup vegetable oil and 2 large eggs together. Then I mixed the oil mixture, the beer mixture with the flour mixture, added 1 tablespoon of fresh grated ginger, and made a batter.
I poured it in a greased pan and baked at 350°F for 35 minutes. It looked great the first half of baking, but the cake fell and left me with a dense but thin gingerbread cake.
