Gingerbread Town Square Cake Recipes

GENOISE FOR GINGERBREAD TOWN-SQUARE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom with parchment cut to fit, and coat parchment with spray. Dust with flour, and tap out excess.
• Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk until mixture is warm and sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• With a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg mixture on high speed until pale and very thick, about 12 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Sift flour and salt over mixture in 3 additions, folding gently with a spatula. When almost incorporated, pour melted butter down side of bowl, and gently fold until completely incorporated.
• Gently pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean and top springs back when lightly touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
• Invert cake onto rack, and remove parchment. Using a serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers.

OLD FASHIONED GINGERBREAD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F
• Grease and flour an 8"x 8" square pan (or line the pan with parchment paper.) *
• Sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Add the butter, molasses and egg and beat for two minutes or 300 strokes by hand. (This is a very old recipe...)
• Add the boiling water.
• Beat for another two minutes and turn into prepared pan.
• Bake 50-55 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched.

GINGERBREAD TOWN-SQUARE CAKE

Steps:

• Place 1 meringue layer on a cake stand, and spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over its surface. Top with a slice of genoise. Brush genoise with one-third of the syrup. Spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream over genoise. Repeat layering 2 more times. Spread enough buttercream over sides of cake to fill in any spaces between layers and create a smooth surface. Refrigerate cake for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).
• Just before serving, spread frosting over cake, smoothing sides and creating peaks on top to resemble snowdrifts. Sprinkle top with sanding sugar. Gently press 3 cookies onto each side of cake, using 1 of each shape per side and alternating molasses and honey gingerbread. Serve immediately.

GINGERBREAD BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Whisk together egg whites and sugar in a large heatproof bowl. Clip a candy thermometer to side of bowl. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk until mixture reaches 160 degrees and sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
• With a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg white mixture on high speed until cooled and thick, about 12 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in vanilla and spices. Buttercream can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month; bring to room temperature before using, and beat on low speed until smooth.

SEVEN-MINUTE FROSTING FOR GINGERBREAD TOWN-SQUARE CAKE

Steps:

• Bring 1 1/2 cups sugar, the corn syrup, and water to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Continue to cook, without stirring but washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystals from forming, until mixture reaches 230 degrees, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, with a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Reduce speed to medium-low, and pour syrup in a slow, steady stream down side of bowl. Raise speed to high, and beat until thick, shiny, and cooled, about 7 minutes. Use immediately.