Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Glaze

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Servings: 9
Yield: 9 servings

Description

Chef John's gingerbread cake recipe includes a simple sweet lemon glaze for a delightful addition on any holiday dessert table!

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Directions

1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2 Whisk flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and Chinese five-spice powder together in a bowl. Stir in sugar, molasses, oil, and egg until just combined. Pour in boiling water; whisk until batter is smooth and shiny, about 1 minute.
3 Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
4 Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
5 Meanwhile, make the lemon glaze: Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
6 Pour lemon juice mixture over cake while cake is still hot. Spread mixture around with a spatula to ensure even distribution.
7 Let cake cool completely before serving.