countdown to chrismas day 25!
The Strand in New York is known for two things, miles and miles of books and employees that have way better things to do than help you actually find a book in those miles and miles of books. But that is the good thing about it, since you have to wander, sort and find all sorts of books that you never even knew existed, but once you see their spine, you have to have them on your book shelf. This happened to me when I read the title “Visions of Sugar Plums,” because, really, isn’t all holiday cooking about grabbing some of the ethereal, sparkly magic of the season that is floating in the air and to stir it up and serve it to your loved ones? Nothing comes closer to that image for me than Mimi Sheraton’s collection of old world and new world Christmas recipes. This book is a bit of holiday magic and I am so happy to share the recipe for Gingerbread Honey Cake from it, today. Sheraton claims it was Lincoln’s favorite cake, and after you see how the honey lets the ginger really shine, unlike its usual partner molasses, you might agree, too!
The other part of the extra special cupcake topper is the melt in your mouth cream cheese frosting. Lincoln’s version of this cake had whipped cream, but I think, if he had it this way, he would not miss the whipped cream one bit. You can add in ¼ cup cocoa powder to the cream cheese (take out ¼ c of the confectioner’s sugar) to do the whole chocolate gingerbread trend. Bring on more yummy flavors, it is Christmas time after all! I used a sugar cookie under the sugar glass, but you could also use store bought cupcake toppers. The brighter the colors, the better to be seen under the “glass.”
And guess what is coming tomorrow? Everything and more that you ever wanted to know about sugar snow globes. Like seriously, way too much information about sugar snow globes. Like more than any normal person would want to know, ever. Stay tuned!
Honey Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
- 1 c honey
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp powdered cloves
- 2 1/2 c sifted AP flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 c butter
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 c light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- zest of one lemon, grated
- 1 c buttermilk
- 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- heat oven to 350, grease 8'' pans or put in cupcake liners
- boil the honey and spices and then let cool
- combine flour with baking powder and salt, set aside
- cream butter with baking soda and sugar until light in color and fluffy
- mix in cooled honey mixture (it will be thick and sticky, spoon it out of the pan), blend well
- add lemon zest and egg, mix well
- alternate adding flour and buttermilk, ending with flour and blending well between adds
- pour into pans or cupcake liners (fill cupcake liners 3/4 of the way) and pop in oven
- bake 35 minutes for cake or 18 mintues for cupcakes and test doneness with a toothpick, if it comes out clean from a poke in the center of the cake/ cupcake pull out and let cool on wire rack. if it is still liquidy and not bouncing back when you tap the middle, leave it in the oven for a few minutes and check again.
cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 c butter (room temp)
- 8 oz cream cheese (room temp)
- 4 c confectioners sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- mix butter and cream cheese on high until blended
- add confectioners sugar on low then speed up and mix, add in vanilla