At this time of year we like to bake with spices. This spice cake with chocolate frosting is one of our family’s favorites.
It’s basically a Yorkshire Parkin but we add chocolate frosting to make is similar to a cake we remember from childhood. A local Philadelphia bakery used to make something called George Washington Cake. This is not the same thing exactly. I don’t have that recipe. But it tastes similar.
We often make this cake for Guy Fawkes Day on the 5th of November. But why stop there? The flavors are perfect all winter long.
You can enjoy this cake right away, but may we suggest you wait a day. The spices meld together making this cake get better and better with age. You can keep it in an airtight container for up to a week.
Spice Cake With Chocolate Frosting
This moist ginger cake is perfect for autumn and winter.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup almond milk
- 1/3 cup oat bran or rolled oats processed to a powder in a blender
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment or baking paper. Grease the paper with butter and dust lightly with flour.
- In a saucepan, melt the molasses, butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and almond milk over a low heat. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Sift together the oat bran, flour, spices, and baking soda in a large mixing bowl.
- Pour in the butter mixture and beat. Add one egg at a time and continue to beat until you get a smooth paste.
- Pour the mixture into the square cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
- Turn the cake out of the pan, remove the paper, and cool on a wire rack right side up.
- When completely cool, spread chocolate frosting on the top, leaving the sides bare.
Notes
This cake improves over time. It's even better the next day or the day after.
Store it in an airtight container and it can last for up to a week.
We used to get George Washington cake at Halls Bakery on Broad Street (Logan) in Philadelphia. I’ve been looking for the recipe, I will have to try your version. Thanks very much!
We used to get it at a bakery in Juniata Park called Blaisey’s. It had a graham cracker crust. I can’t find that recipe anywhere. But this tastes similar with the chocolate frosting. Let me know if you try it 🙂
I’m from Philadelphia and got it at Smith’s Bakery and Kensington I also got it with a crust on the bottom but it was more like a pie crust I remember when I was a little girl I would go for Halloween and they give it peace out free