If you love gingerbread cookies, prepare a gingerbread in a slightly larger, family-sized version! Let the house fill with holiday aromas and the bellies of sweets-lovers with the best, homemade cake!
Ingredients
- Dried fruits – 140 g
- Cocoa powder – 1.5 tbsp
- Sugar – 90 g
- Cinnamon – 1 tsp
- Dark chocolate – 200 g
- Eggs – 4 pcs.
- Butter – 1 tbsp
- Wheat flour – 510 g
- Honey – 320 g
- Whole milk (3.2%) – 230 ml
- Rapeseed oil – 190 ml
- Plum jam – 125 ml
- Baking powder – 1 tsp
- Mixed spice – 2 tbsp
- Baking soda – 1.5 tsp
- Salt – 2 pinches
- Heavy cream (36%) – 120 ml
Preparation
Step 1: Combine Dry Ingredients for the Dough
Sift the flour with baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and a pinch of salt.
Step 2: Combine and Warm Wet Ingredients for the Dough
In a saucepan, combine oil, milk, honey, sugar, mixed spice, and cinnamon. Heat the mixture, stirring until the honey dissolves and all the ingredients combine. Let it cool slightly.
Step 3: Prepare the Dough
When the mixture is just slightly warm, pour it into the bowl with flour, add egg yolks, and dried fruits (leave some cranberries for decoration). Mix everything with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients are combined.
In a separate bowl or a stand mixer bowl, transfer the egg whites. Add a pinch of salt and beat them, starting at medium speed, until glossy, pearly, and stiff peaks form. Gradually increase the speed while beating. Fold the beaten egg whites into the dough in portions, gently mixing to retain its fluffiness.
Step 4: Fill the Loaf Pans with the Dough
Grease two loaf pans approximately 10 x 30 cm with butter and dust with breadcrumbs or flour. Pour half of the dough into each pan.
Step 5: Bake the Gingerbread
Bake for about 55-60 minutes in an oven preheated to 175°C. Check with a toothpick if the cake is baked through; if not, extend the baking time.
Step 6: Fill the Gingerbread with Plum Jam
Once the gingerbread in both loaf pans has cooled, fill them with plum jam to create one taller gingerbread.
Step 7: Prepare the Chocolate Glaze
Melt the dark chocolate, broken into smaller pieces, in a saucepan with heavy cream. Once melted and combined, pour the glaze over the top of the cake and set aside. When the chocolate hardens, sprinkle dried cranberries on top.
