gingerbread beer cake with bittersweet chocolate frosting

Mustard and beer—sounds more like a pub sandwich than a cake. But dessert it is! Actually, you don’t taste the powdered mustard; it merely contributes a bit of heat on the tongue, which is appropriate for gingerbread. And the dark beer adds richness and deepens the flavor. If you like gingerbread, you’ll love this cake.

MAKES AN 8-INCH TRIPLE-LAYER CAKE; SERVES 12 TO 16

• 2 ¼ cups cake flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons grated nutmeg
• 1 ½ teaspoons powdered mustard
• ¾ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup dark beer or porter (see Baker’s Note)
• ½ cup unsulphured molasses
• 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 eggs
• Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 8-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
2. Measure the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, mustard, cloves, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixer bowl. With an electric mixer on low speed, blend the dry ingredients well, about 30 seconds.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the beer, molasses, buttermilk, and vanilla; whisk well to combine. Add the softened butter and two-thirds of the beer mixture to the spiced flour and beat with the mixer on low speed until well blended. Raise the speed to medium and beat well to aerate, about 3 minutes, or until the mixture is lighter and somewhat fluffy.
4. Add the eggs to the remaining beer mixture and whisk to blend well. Add this liquid to the batter in 2 or 3 additions, beating on medium speed and scraping down the bowl several times. Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in their pans for 10 minutes. Then turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely, at least 1 hour.
6. To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with ⅔ cup of the Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting. Spread evenly over the layer right to the edge; repeat with the second layer. Add the final layer and frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.
7. To decorate the cake, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to swirl the frosting on the top and sides. Then, touch the frosting gently with the spatula and quickly pull it up to create a spike. Repeat all over the cake. Let set at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before cutting, so the frosting has a chance to set up.

BAKER’S NOTE

• • The choice of beer here is important. A light lager beer will be too bitter. Stout is too heavy. A good dark beer will contribute a slightly chocolaty sweetness and depth of flavor that is extremely pleasing with the spices. A Samuel Smith Taddy Porter, an English brew, was the final choice when testing.