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 it 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. That cake had a pie-type of crust on the bottom. I don’t have that recipe. But my recipe 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

Spice Cake With Chocolate Frosting

Donna DeRosa
This moist ginger cake is perfect for autumn and winter.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, British

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 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 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.

Video

Notes

You can replace the milk with almond milk if you prefer.
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.
Keyword cake, parkin

spice cake

spice cake with chocolate frosting

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