Colonial Williamsburg Gingerbread Cakes Recipes

OLD-FASHIONED WILLIAMSBURG GINGERBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
• Add softened butter, evaporated milk, and molasses. With an electric mixer, start on the lowest speed so that the liquid doesn't splash out of the bowl. Gradually increase the speed until the butter and sugar are creamed together and completely smooth.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add 4 cups of flour (one cup at a time), mixing until the flour is incorporated.
• The dough should be stiff enough to handle without sticking to your fingers, so if it's still too wet and sticky, add additional flour (½ cup at a time), just until a fairly stiff dough comes together.
• When the dough is smooth, roll it out to ½-inch thickness on a very well-floured surface.
• Use a 2 ½-inch round biscuit cutter (or other cookie cutter) to cut the dough into round shapes. Continue to add as much flour as necessary to the dough, the rolling pin, and the cookie cutters to prevent the dough from sticking. Place shapes onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden brown but still soft. Make sure that you don't bake them for too long or they will become hard and crispy. To maintain the soft, chewy, cake-like texture, pull them out of the often while they're still soft and let them firm up slightly while they cool.
• Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

WILLIAMSBURG QUEEN'S CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and orange zest. Mix well.
• Sift together 2 cups of flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
• Toss the currants with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Fold the currants into the batter.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour, 20 minutes - 1 hour, 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Tent with foil during the final 30 minutes if the top of the cake starts to get too brown while it's baking.
• Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice thinly and serve!

COLONIAL WILLIAMBURG GINGER COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Combine the sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Mix well.
• 2. Add the melted butter/margarine, evaporated milk, and molasses. Mix well.
• 3. Add the flour 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly. The dough should be stiff enough to handle without sticking to fingers.
• 4. Knead the dough for a smoother texture. Add up to ½ cup additional flour if needed to prevent sticking.
• 5. When the dough is smooth, roll it out ¼ inch thick on a floured surface and cut it into cookies. You may roll the dough slightly thicker if you desire a taller cookie.
• 6. Bake on floured or greased cookie sheets in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes. The cookies are done if they spring back when touched.