Elegance without Fuss; A Simple Ginger Cake

Simplicity.  Elegance without fuss.  Decadence without perfection.  I  choose desserts to make for the fam that do not need to be symmetrical and perfectly aligned so to speak, to look delicious.   A topping that is drizzled on is always a good thing at our dessert table.

This post is a recipe from one of my fav sites, Williams-Sonoma.  The ingredients list is filled with pantry staples, which is something I always look for in a dish or dessert as well.  I relish being able to look to my larder for inspiration.

Ginger Cake with Warm Caramel Sauce

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 16 Tbls ( 2 sticks ) unsalted butter
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses
• 3 eggs
• Heavy cream whipped with 1 Tbls sugar

The recipe calls for a jar of caramel sauce to be warmed and poured over this delightful cake and topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.  Follow this link to the rest of the recipe and find two different Caramel Sauce  recipes below.

Salted Maple Caramel Sauce

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 5 to 6 drops imitation maple extract

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar. Whisk until sugar melts and mixture is thick and boiling, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Bring sauce to boil, whisking often. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon and is reduced to 1 cup, whisking often, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in coarse salt and extract ~ You can make this up to 1 week ahead, cool to room temp, cover, chill.

Basic Caramel Sauce

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup whipping cream

Combine sugar, 1/2 cup water, and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Carefully add cream (you may want to stand back—mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir sauce over low heat until any caramel bits dissolve and sauce is smooth ~ You can make this up to 1 week ahead, cool to room temp, cover, chill.