Plantation Gingerbread Recipes

PLANTAIN GINGERBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix the sugar and water in a sauce pan over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Peel plantain and add to the boiling sugar syrup. Add the plantain and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the plantain and drain. Butter a 9-inch square cake pan heavily. Spread the plantain slices evenly over the bottom.
• Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
• Place the butter and molasses in a sauce pan over moderate heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat. Combine this heated mixture and the boiling water and stir. Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients, stirring, and then beat vigorously. Pour the batter over the sliced plantain. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 50 minutes, or until the cake tests done. Let the pan stand for 5 minutes on a rack, then loosen with a spatula and turn the cake upside down on a serving plate. Cut into squares. The cake is topped with shipped cream. Serve warm or cooled.

BLACK PLANTATION GINGERBREAD--LOW SUGAR

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast pecans on a baking sheet (about 10 minutes until fragrant) Cut the cherries in half. Grease baking pans. I use Pam or butter. Mix water, Splenda, and butter in a small saucepan and heat until the butter and sweetener are mixed well. Add the buttermilk and instant coffee to the warm mixture, stir well. Let cool. Mix eggs and molasses together along with extracts and add the other liquids. Mix the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Mix well but do not overmix. Fold in cooled pecans and cherries. The mixture should be very wet and just a bit thicker than a cake batter. Add more water or buttermilk if necessary. Fill the pans about 2/3 full. Bake for one hour or until the center when poked comes out clean. Sprinkle with Swerve powdered sweetener or powdered sugar while bread is still barely warm. Let cool. Remove from pan(s). Allow to cool completely before cutting. Enjoy!
• Note: If using a stand mixer, be careful not to overmix. Overmixing will cause the gluten to become like glue and make this bread tough. Only mix it enough to incorporate all the ingredients and fold in the cherries and pecan gently.
• This bread comes out more like a cake in texture so it must be completely cooled before cutting. I use my metal meat thermometer to test the bread or cake center. In the past, broom straws were commonly used. I sincerely hope you enjoy this old Southern favorite!

GRANNY'S GINGERBREAD CAKE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in molasses and egg until well blended. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with water., Transfer to a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack., For caramel sauce, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla until smooth. Serve with warm cake. Top with whipped cream if desired.

GINGERBREAD LOAF

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, syrup and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be thin). Pour into two greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. , Bake at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.