Beer

Gingerbread Porter Cake with Cacao Nibs

by:
February 13, 2016
4
2 Ratings
Gingerbread Porter Cake with Cacao Nibs
Photo by Seasons in Vermont
  • Serves 10-12
Author Notes

Gingerbread Porter Cake with Cacao Nibs
February 13, 2016
A dark trifecta of molasses, porter and cacao. Not your sweet, holiday gingerbread cake - this is deep and dark with complex flavors of cocoa, spice and toasty porter. The raw cacao nibs give it texture and a satisfying crunch (with the added benefit of being very good for you). I used our local Fiddlehead Hodad Porter, which is dark and a little chocolatey with notes of coconut and vanilla. ...and I remember reading somewhere that dark beer has certain health benefits as well, so let's just call this health food. —Seasons in Vermont

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 10 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 cup dark molasses
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup dark porter beer
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • Dash salt
  • 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 + cups raw cacao nibs*
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 10 inch springform pan. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the molasses, brown sugar and beer and heat until sugar is melted and mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.
  2. Pour the melted butter and molasses mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream and then whisk in the eggs. Fold in 1/3 cup of the raw cacao nibs. Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons cacao nibs on top. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool, then unmold.
  3. Raw cacao nibs are made from organic cacao beans that have been peeled and chopped. They're not sweet, but have an intense cocoa flavor with a tiny hint of bitterness (in a good way). They're addictive. Luckily, they're also really healthy for you- considered a superfood high in iron, fiber and antioxidents.
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