{ chocolate gingerbread cake }

This dark and rich cake really tastes like a Christmas cake should. It's the perfect combination of spices of gingerbread cookies and chocolate. Confectioner's sugar on top is like a beautiful light layer of snow. Just like we have outside right now.

Ingredients (serves 8)

- 4 tablespoons butter, plus more for pan
- 1/4 cup (0.6 dl) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup (1.8 dl) flour
- 1  1/2 teaspoons gingerbread spice mix
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1.2 dl) dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (0.6 dl) dark syrup
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (0.6 dl) sour cream
- 1/2 cup (1.2 dl) chopped chocolate
- confectioner's sugar for dusting

Combine cocoa powder, flour, spice mix, baking powder and baking soda. If gingerbread spice mix is not available, you can make your own mix by using spices of this season such as ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, beat together melted butter, brown sugar, syrup, egg and sour cream until smooth, using an electric mixer on medium speed. You can substitute dark syrup with molasses. Add in the dry ingredients, and stir with a rubber spatula just until combined. Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a well buttered long cake pan (small to medium size), and smooth the top.

Bake at 350 F (175 C) for 30-35 minutes until a tooth pick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake. Tap the pan a few times strongly against a surface. This will help to remove the pan easily after the cake has cooled down. Turn the pan over on a serving dish to remove the cake, and dust the it lightly with confectioner's sugar.

{ recipe adapted from martha stewart }

Comments

[tara]

That is just gorgeous. Do you know the approximate dimensions of the pan you used?

[Christina]

Do you mean molasses when you say "dark syrup"?

[tiina]

Hi ladies, thank you for the questions! The pan I used is approximately 9 inches long. Scandinavian dark syrup I used is very close to molasses, so you can use either. Happy Holidays!