Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread is sticky, chewy, dense, and brimming with intense deep flavor. Which describes my kind of gingerbread cravings!
This recipe delivers old-world vintage gingerbread to send your tastebuds to ginger heaven!
I have seen this recipe numerous times and was intimidated by it. With loads of research, I concluded to just jump in and hope for the best.
Claudia Fleming was the pastry chef at Gramercy Tavern and this was her recipe. I made a few changes to tweak the flavor for my needs.
Don’t Sweat The Recipe is supported by its readers. We may earn a commission if you purchase through a link on our site. Learn more.
Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Just a few tips to help you be successful with this stout gingerbread cake.
- I’ve read many reviews about how the cake sticks to the pan. She recommends buttering and flouring the pan. I recommend baking spray with flour, dusting with additional flour, then refrigerating while you prepare the batter. I allowed the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the pan.
- Also, I read some people had trouble with the cake sinking in the middle. Just make sure the eggs and the boiled stout are at room temperature and you shouldn’t have a problem.
As mentioned above I made a few changes. The original recipe doesn’t call for ground black pepper or freshly grated ginger. I added both to make it spicier. If you like, you can leave these two things out and make it as originally written.
Ingredients Needed for Stout Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Guinness Stout or oatmeal stout – I recommend Guinness
- Dark molasses – The original recipe says not to use blackstrap molasses. I use it in our Spicy Gingerbread Loaf with great results. So, I think the next time I bake this gingerbread I’m going to try blackstrap.
- Baking soda
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Grated nutmeg – As always, fresh is best!
- Ground cardamom
- Fresh ground black pepper – This is my secret to a spicier gingerbread!
- Kosher salt
- Eggs – Room temperature eggs always incorporate better into the batter.
- Dark brown sugar – For a tad more molasses flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil – Lends to a very moist gingerbread.
- Freshly grated ginger – Fresh ginger bumps up the ginger flavor.
- Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
How to Make Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread Cake Recipe
In a large pot bring the stout and molasses to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda then cool to room temperature while you prepare the batter. It will foam up, which is why you need a large pot.
Pour it out of the hot pot into a measuring cup or bowl to cool a little faster. Give it a few stirs while cooling will also help it cool faster. You will temper the eggs later just to be safe.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Generously spray a bundt pan (10-inch) with baking spray that contains flour. Then dust with more flour, remove excess and place it in the refrigerator while you proceed with the recipe. Or you can brave generously buttering the pan and dusting with flour.
Make sure there is not too much flour in the crevices at the bottom of the pan.
In a medium-size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk in oil, and the freshly grated ginger until smooth.
Add a small amount of the stout-molasses mixture and whisk. Repeat a few more times (this tempers the eggs). Add the remaining stout and whisk.
Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk again until smooth.
Pour into the prepared bundt pan. Tap a few times on the counter to remove excess air bubbles.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs adhering.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool the cake in the pan. This will depend on your bundt pan. Let it cool long enough that you can handle the bundt cake pan without oven mitts.
My bundt pan is Nordic Ware and is made of cast aluminum, so it retains the heat for a good long while. I let mine cool for 30 minutes, placed a plate over the top of the pan and then it just flips right out. Always a sigh of relief when this happens, right?
That’s it! Really easy to make. I’m a little mad at myself for waiting so long to try this decadently rich gingerbread recipe.
Christmas is not complete without at least one slice of gingerbread!
To serve dust with powdered sugar. Or you can serve it with a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.
More Holiday Gingerbread Recipes
Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Guinness stout or oatmeal stout
- 1 cup Dark molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 2 tbsp Ground ginger
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg freshly grated
- 1 pinch Ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 3 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 cup Dark brown sugar packed
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Fresh ginger grated
- Powdered sugar for dusting
- Unsweetened whipped cream optional
Instructions
- In a large pot bring the stout and molasses to a boil. Remove from the heat and whisk in the baking soda. It will foam up, which is why you need a large pot. Let cool while you prepare the cake batter. Remove from the hot pot to a measuring cup or bowl to cool faster.1 cup Guinness stout, 1 cup Dark molasses, 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Generously spray a bundt pan (10-inch) with baking spray that contains flour. Then dust with more flour, remove excess and place it in the refrigerator while you proceed with the recipe.
- In a medium-size bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper, and salt.2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 2 tbsp Ground ginger, 1 tsp Ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground cloves, 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg, 1 pinch Ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp Black pepper, 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk in oil, and the freshly grated ginger until smooth.3 large Eggs, 1 cup Dark brown sugar, 1 cup Granulated sugar, 3/4 cup Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp Fresh ginger
- Add a small amount of the stout-molasses mixture and whisk. Repeat a few more times (to tempers the eggs). Add the remaining stout and whisk.
- Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk again until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared bundt pan. Tap a few times on the counter to remove excess air bubbles.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs adhering.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool the cake in the pan. This will depend on your bundt pan. Let it cool long enough that you can handle the bundt cake pan without oven mitts before inverting the cake to a plate to cool completely.
- Once completely cool dust with powder sugar and serve. Also, you can dollop some unsweetened whipped cream on if you desire.Powdered sugar, Unsweetened whipped cream
I have a recipe that was printed in 2012 of the same cake, however, it reads 1/2 tablespoon baking soda. Is this correct? Please confirm. Your recipe shows 1/2 teaspoon.
The cake was amazing.
Janice, our recipe only uses 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Using too much baking soda can result in tasting it, like a metallic taste. You only need 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda per cup of flour. I hope this helps.
this is the BEST gingerbread cake I have ever tasted!!!!!!! AMAZING !!!!!!!
We totally agree, Tina! Thank you for coming by to tell us you enjoyed the recipe.