Gingerbread Layer Cake, Cream Cheese Frosting, Pistachios

Recipe Ingredients

		Cake
1 cup	237ml	Guinness extra stout or dark beer
1 cup	237ml	Mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons	7.5ml	Baking soda
2 cups	125g / 4.4oz	All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons	30ml	Ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons	7.5ml	Baking powder
3/4 teaspoon	3.8ml	Ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon	1.3ml	Ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon	0.6ml	Ground cardamom
3 teaspoons	15ml	Eggs (large)
1/2 cup	99g / 3.5oz	Sugar
1/2 cup	80g / 2.8oz	Dark brown sugar - (packed)
3/4 cup	177ml	Vegetable oil
1 tablespoon	15ml	Minced peeled fresh ginger
		Candied Pistachios
1 cup	146g / 5.1oz	Finely-chopped pistachios
1 tablespoon	15ml	Light corn syrup
2 tablespoons	30ml	Sugar
		Cream Cheese Frosting
2		Cream cheese - (8 oz ea) - room temperature
1/2 cup	99g / 3.5oz	Unsalted butter - (1 stick) - room temperature
3/4 teaspoon	3.8ml	Finely-grated orange peel
2 cups	396g / 13oz	Powdered sugar

Recipe Instructions

For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour three 8-inch-diameter cake pans. Bring stout and molasses to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda. Let stand 1 hour to cool completely.

Whisk flour and next 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk eggs and both sugars in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in oil, then stout mixture. Gradually whisk stout-egg mixture into flour mixture. Stir in fresh ginger.

Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers of cakes comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap each cake separately in plastic and keep at room temperature.)

For Candied Pistachios: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line large baking sheet with foil. Mix pistachios and corn syrup in medium bowl. Add sugar and toss to coat. Working quickly so sugar doesn't melt, spread pistachios on prepared baking sheet. Bake until pistachios are pale golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.)

For Cream Cheese Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and orange peel in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Chill frosting 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer, rounded-side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, rounded-side up, then spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, flat-side up. Spread top and sides of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle top of cake with candied pistachios. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Cut cake into wedges and serve.

This recipe yields 10 servings.

Source:
Bon Appetit, November 2002

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