Gingerbread Loaf with Glacé Cherries

I'm back!  I know it's been a long time since my last post.  I've been super busy lately. This time of year always gets me inspired so I am committed to posting more regularly on here!

This loaf is super moist, and works with or without the cherries.  I like the bit of crunch and sweetness the cherries add.  I also love anything to do with gingerbread this time of year.  This recipe is super easy, but it takes a long time in the oven to cook because it does not have eggs in it and the applesauce makes it so moist.



Ingredients:

1.5 Cups White Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 1/3 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup White Sugar
1/2 Cup Margarine
1 tsp Lemon or Orange Extract
1 Cup Apple sauce
Glacé Cherries, red and green

Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan.

2.  Combine all of the dry ingredients except the baking soda.  Combine the margarine, and sugar in a mixer until fluffy.  Then add the extract, baking soda, and apple sauce to the margarine/sugar mixture..  Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, and then fold in the cherries.

3.  Pour the batter in the loaf pan and cook for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  I had to place some foil on the top of mine after about 40 minutes so the top wouldn't get too brown, but the inside would continue to cook through.

4.  Add some cream cheese icing if available and, enjoy!

Gingerbread Cake with Chocolate Peppermint Icing

 Ho Ho Ho, and Merry November 30!  Oh man, it is almost December!  I know that some of you can probably relate with me when I say that sometimes people give you a raised eyebrow when you start getting into the Christmas Spirit in early November.  As it nears the beginning of December I have realized that one of the benefits of starting the Christmas season so early is that you can fit a lot more awesome stuff in!  25 days is not enough time to experience everything, am I right?

This is another addition to my Christmas series, but unlike the previous ones, this is something I have never tried before.  I am a huge fan of gingerbread.  I love the lattes, the cookies, and that malevolently delicious gingerbread loaf you can get a Starbucks, it mocks me when I stand in line for my coffee!

I decided to experiment with combining the flavours of a gingerbread cake, and peppermint.  These are two of my favourite Christmas-time flavours, but I was curious how they would taste together.  I can now report, that they are a fracking awesome combo!

Are you guys experimenting with any new recipes this holiday season?


Ingredients:

Gingerbread Cake:

2 Cups White Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 Cup Margarine
1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Eggs (Large)
1 Cup Liquid (I used water, but milk would work also)
1/2 Cup Molasses 
Miscellaneous Candy


White Peppermint Icing:

1 1/2 Cups Icing Sugr
1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract
1 TB Margarine
1/4 Cup Water  


Chocolate Peppermint Icing:

2 Cups Icing Sugar
2 TB Cocoa Powder
1 TB Margarine
1/4 Cup Water


Directions:

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two cake dishes, mine were approximately 8 or 9 inches.

2.   Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ground ginger and nutmeg.

3.  In an electric mixer combine the margarine and sugar, mix for about two minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat well.  Lastly, add the molasses and combine!

4.  Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and your cup of liquid, beginning and ending with the dry mixture.  This ensures that everything gets well combined.

5.  Distribute the batter equally between the two pans and place in oven.

Make sure the tops are fairly level!

6.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick can be placed inside the cakes and come out clean.  Keep an eye on your cakes because they will cook faster due to separating the batter between the two pans.  While the cakes are cooling, you can start the icing!

7.  You are going to want to start with the white peppermint icing.  Combine the peppermint extract and margarine in your electric mixer.  Add the icing sugar and water and mix until smooth.  Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl in case there is any icing sugar that hasn't been combined.

8.  When the cakes are cool ice the top of one with the peppermint icing, letting the icing fall down the sides.  Place the second cake on top of the iced cake.  The top of the second cake is going to be iced with the chocolate peppermint icing.  Add a garnish of crushed candy cake around the sides of your cake to add extra Christmasy flare!  You can always do with more flare!

9.  Begin the chocolate peppermint icing by combining the cocoa powder and margarine in an electric mixer.  Add the water and icing sugar until smooth.  Lick the spatula if no one is watching, share it with them if they are.  

10.  You want this icing to be slightly thinner than the white icing, so it pours easily down the sides.  Add a couple of teaspoons of additional water at a time until it is the consistency you want.     

 

11.  Garnish the top of your cake with an assortment of Christmas candy!  This will make it fun for your guests when they get their piece.  I placed my cake in the fridge for a bit to make sure the icing on top had set so the candy wouldn't sink in too much.  Here are some of the candies I got from the bulk section at Save-on-Foods:

 

Okay guys, can we talk about the creepy, red Santa Penguin?  What is happening here?  He was delicious.