Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes | Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

Gingerbread Cake:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for greasing
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 cup unsulfured molasses
1 cup boiling water

Crème Anglaise (yields 1 ¼ cups):
½ cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
½ vanilla bean, scraped
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Gingerbread Cake:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan with butter and line with parchment paper, allowing the edges to overhang as handles. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, salt and baking powder. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat again until just combined. Add the ginger and molasses and beat until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the flour mixture gradually and beat until just incorporated. With the machine running on low, slowly drizzle in the hot water and allow to mix until just combined.

Remove the cake batter to the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes then remove. Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with a drizzle of the chilled crème anglaise.

Crème Anglaise:

In a small saucepan whisk together the milk, heavy cream, and vanilla bean pod and seeds. Bring to a simmer while whisking. Place the egg yolks in a large bowl. Once the milk mixture has come to a simmer, remove the vanilla pod and gently pour some of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks while constantly whisking (this is called tempering — it warms the yolks without scrambling them). Once tempered, add the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Add the sugar and continue to heat while constantly whisking until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, 1 to 3 minutes (or until it reaches 180ºF).

Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl. Place this bowl over an ice bath to cool. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Tip: If you want crème anglaise without making it from scratch, warm up a pint of vanilla ice cream in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and drizzle over the top!