Birthdays and Cake

Today we celebrate my daughter's birthday and eat cake flavored with her favorite things: Ginger, Bourbon, and chocolate. Since she is currently off dairy, this cake is dairy free, or degan as she says. Happy Birthday!

Ginger Bourbon Chocolate Chiffon Cake
Preheat oven to 325.

Sift together then set aside:1 – 1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat until smooth:1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 egg yolks
3 ounces bourbon
2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add flour to egg-oil mix and beat. Set aside.

In clean bowl beat 7 egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Add ¼ cup sugar as whites start to foam. Continue beating until whites are VERY stiff.

Gently fold whites into flour-egg-oil mix until well incorporated, but taking care to keep air from whites.

Pour batter into ungreased angelfood cake pan and bake ~1 hour. Turn cake upside down and cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare syrup:
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat to simmer and stir until all sugar is dissolved. Reduce to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

Pour half over cooled cake (poke holes in the cake with a chop stick to help it absorb). Once liquid is absorbed, remove cake from pan and place top side down on serving plate. Pour remaining syrup over cake.

Chocolate Ginger Ganache:
Melt together over medium low heat 2 2.3 ounce Ginger Crystallized in Dark Chocolate bars by Chocolove and several tablespoons coconut milk. Add more coconut milk if needed to make spreadable ganache. Spread over cooled cake.

Meanwhile, it is also Oskar's birthday today. He is entering his "Terrific Twos!" And looks more like the Abominable Snowman (before his teeth were removed) every day.

 

Head over to Called to the Table for this week's column on flatbread.