Molasses and Spice, and Everything Nice!

 

 It’s Martha Monday and we bring to you a beautiful cake to celebrate the upcoming season.. Molasses Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and a Brown Sugar Glaze. Whew, that’s a mouthful.

 

 

 I was pretty excited that Pru from My Life: Pru Singer picked this cake for Martha Monday. It seemed the perfect recipe for the season. It was good, and I enjoyed making it:

but I wasn’t really that fond of it. I hate to say that but…

In my opinion, the cake was a little dry. With 2 sticks of butter in that baby, I don’t want that dry mouth feel. I liked the flavor of the cake, but not so much the frosting.

The frosting was too sour with the addition of sour cream and it only has half a cup of sugar (in the recipe). And did I mention another stick of butter and cream cheese? I have to admit, I upped the sugar in the frosting to 1 cup. To sour for me!

This cake is a dietitian’s worst nightmare! Let’s just say there is more butter and sugar in the glaze.

 

BUT:  Did you noticed how much we ate. Guess it wasn’t that bad! ;)

Would I make this recipe again. Probably not.

I would much rather make my Pumpkin Pie SnickerdoodleBars.

(And for the record, I gave the rest of this cake away!)

Molasses Spice Cake

Makes one 9-inch cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
• 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 1 1/3 cups packed light-brown sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with parchment, and butter the parchment.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, sour cream, molasses, ginger, lemon zest, and vanilla.
3. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture.
4. Scrape batter into prepared pan, and bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack, remove parchment, and turn right side up. Let cool completely. (Cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
5. Spread frosting over top of cake. Drizzle with glaze. Serve immediately.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Makes enough for one 9-inch cake

• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Beat in sour cream, then sugar and salt. Frosting can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature, and stir well before using.

Brown Sugar Glaze

Ingredients

Makes enough for one 9-inch cake

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Add cream, vanilla, and salt, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and let cool until thickened. Use glaze immediately.