Iced Lemon Gingerbread Cakes
So, I have a small weakness (I count it as a small one, anyway), and if I’m being honest, it’s probably not going to be anytime soon. That small weakness is bakeware.
I absolutely love collecting various types of bakeware.
My definition of bakeware is pretty broad, including various types of pots, cake/loaf/muffin/pie/tart pans, dishes, tools and gadgets that all in some way give your baked goods an added boost. The Williams-Sonoma store and more broadly speaking, the Home-Kitchen section of any major store is one of my favorite places on Earth to visit. You all should see my Amazon Wishlist (yes, I know; it’s not the best company out there, but…) a sizable portion of it is bakeware.
My sister, who gets me, recently gifted me with the latest addition to my collection of kitchen gadgets: a set of Nordicware molded baking pans.
If you’re familiar with baking, then you know that Nordicware is a one of the best companies out there so far as bakeware is concerned. They primarily make intricate, high quality bundt cake pans, but they also make miniature ones that are just as pretty. Like these.
I knew going into this year’s series that gingerbread was a non-negotiable addition, and my new leaflet baking pans seemed like one of the best ways to make it happen. There are just a few specific tips to follow when baking with these types of pans.
First, it’s SUPER important that you use the cooking spray that has flour in it. Gingerbread (good gingerbread anyway) is very moist and moist cakes have a tendency to stick a little bit to pans. Just greasing the pans is not enough; you need the added flour to make sure the cakes don’t stick to the nooks/crannies.
Second, timing is everything when getting them out of the pan. You can’t take them out too soon, or they’ll fall apart, but because they’re moist, you also can’t leave them into too long, or the crumbs will begin to stick to the pans as they cool off. A magic number for me was about 3 minutes in, and then I GENTLY used the tip of a butter knife to jiggle them loose, then lift them out of the pans.
Third, is to be gentle when icing the cakes. If they’re made right, then they’re soft and moist and that makes them fragile. I used a combination of a silicone pastry brush and a spoon to drizzle/dab the icing onto my cakes. Dipping/dunking them would’ve made them fall apart.
The finished product should make it abundantly clear why I’m so hooked on bakeware. I mean, aren’t they just adorable? And yes, they taste just as great as they look. The spices and molasses in the cake come through strong, but the lemon zest and juice gives a very nice freshness to them that balances it all out very nicely. Cheers!
Be sure to check out the rest of the previous recipes from this year’s 12 Days of Christmas, and be sure to be on the lookout for the others to come–they’re gonna be great 😉
Day 1: Holiday Style- Biscuits & Gravy
Day 2: Cranberry Pie Bars
Day 3: Pryaniki
Day 4: Iced Lemon Gingerbread Cakes
Iced Lemon Gingerbread Cakes
Recipe Adapted from Tea Time Magazine
Ingredients
For Cakes
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon grounf nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- ¾ cup hot water
- ½ cup unsulphured molasses
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
For Lemon Icing
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Directions
For Cakes: Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 2 (12-well) leaf-shaped pans* with cooking spray with flour. (When baking with these pans, you MUST use cooking spray with flour if you don’t want your cakes to stick)
*I used Nordic Wares Leaflettes Cakelet Pans, which you can get at nordicware.com. However, these can also be made as regular gingerbread muffins in ordinary muffin tins.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add butter, egg, lemon zest, hot water, molasses, honey, and vanilla extract, beating with a mixer at low speed, approximately 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat together for 3 minutes.
Divide batter among wells of prepared pans, filling no more than three-quarters full. Using a finger-tip or a small offset spatula, spread batter to completely fill edges of leaf shapes. Tap pan gently on countertop to level batter in pans.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes comes out clean, about 13-15 minutes. (if you’re using regular muffin tins, they will probably take more like 15-20 minutes)
Let cakes cool in pans for 3-5 minutes. Use the tip of a butter knife to gently jiggle the cakes loose from the mold before lifting/turning them out onto wire cooling racks. Let cool completely.
For Lemon Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and lemon juice until smooth and creamy. Use immediately.
Set wire cooling racks with cakes over rimmed baking sheets. Use a spoon, or pastry brush to drizzle/brush the Lemon Glaze over each cake, letting glaze settle into veins of leaves. Dip any sides that are not covered in glaze.
Let set for 30 minutes. Keep covered in a plastic container in the fridge to store.
Sharing at Fiesta Friday #514.
Very pretty. I like the idea of lemon topping it as I’ve always felt that plain gingerbread is lacking something (even though I love the ginger taste).
I agree, most gingerbread could use a little bit of help, and I typically prefer it to be fruit of some kind–thanks 😉
Lemon and gingerbread, one of my favorites!
Mine too! Thank you Dorothy 🙂