Wedding Dessert Bar for Jun and David's Wedding

The Happy Couple: My friends Jun & David!
(Photo by Linda Y, Jun's co-worker)

Congratulations Jun & David! This beautiful couple were married last Saturday, November 6th in Los Angeles. I met Jun while at UCLA's Library School in 2003, and we hit it off immediately and have had a great time the last 7 years.

The wedding ceremony was held at the Koyasan Buddhist Temple in Downtown Los Angeles' Little Tokyo. It was a very touching ceremony conducted in both English and Japanese. The priest had asked Jun & David to write letters to each other, and he read them during the ceremony. They didn't know he would do that when they wrote the letters, so they were honest and funny. After dating for 12 years, everyone was so excited to witness the ceremony. Jun wore her mother's beautiful wedding kimono!

The reception was held at the beautiful Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock. It's a historic 1914 Carnegie Library (the former LAPL Eagle Rock branch). They have art classes on the bottom floor and rent out the top floor. I think the bar area was the information or circulation desk! How perfect is that?!

I'm one of those people who loves to receive and give handmade gifts. So my gift to Jun & David was the dessert bar at the reception. 

(Jun & David, don't read this part) But what was I thinking? I'm a freaking librarian with a small refrig and basic oven. I've only make food for my library, and this was a 125 person reception. Thus, I got 5 hours of sleep in two days. But it was so worth it! The wedding and reception was so much fun!

The dessert bar begins with: Coffee Jello, Brownies, Chocolate cupcakes with Mascarpone frosting...continued...

...Fruit Kabobs (cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon), Raspberry Jam Shortbread squares, Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake bites, Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies, and Vanilla Cream Puffs...continued...

...Fresh fuyu persimmons (kaki), Chocolate Mint cupcakes, Lemon Bars...continued...

...Pumpkin cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting, Nutella Chocolate Chip cookies, Mochi from Sakura-Ya in Gardena....continued...

...Lemon Tarts with Meringue, Fruit Tarts, Daruma mini wedding cake, Chocolate Cream Puffs...continued...

...and we end with The Salty. After going to a few cupcake eating events with JustJenn, I feel having something salty with your sweets is very important so I put together an assortment of my favorite salty snacks.

I tried to make a mini display cake for the Daruma dolls turned bride & groom figurines. Daruma dolls are sold with both eyes blank. You fill-in one eye in when you set a goal/wish, and fill-in the other when the goal is attained. During the reception, Jun & David filled in the second eye.

Oh, you poor mini cake. I made it at 4 am on the day of the wedding (yes, I was a bit behind schedule. And before all you kids who finished a week's worth of homework in one night tell me I could have frozen items prior to the wedding, that just didn't happen.) It got frosted by Helen (Cook's Illustrated Basic Buttercream) and we were off to set up at the reception hall.

When we arrived, Helen lifts up the cake carrier and notices that the cake completely shifted and is smashed against the side of the box. We call Alison, Helen's awesome daughter, and leave this voicemail: "Alison. Go to the grocery store. Buy a boatload of white canned frosting. Stat. Please. Thank you." Then, I carry in the sad cake carrier and I proceed to Drop. It. On. Its. Head. Yes, we dropped the darn thing twice! Luckily, the Daruma figurines were not on the cake. Finally, we shellac the cake with canned frosting, but you can see some of the bad bits coming through. Luckily, no one was planning on cutting or eating this cake. On their first anniversary, I'll bring over cream puffs and cupcakes to celebrate. No one wants to get near this twice bruised cake.

Make anything mini and it is so darn cute. These cupcakes are topped with a decorative heart. Kawaii!

This was the only photo I took of the dessert bar! See the blur? This is real time action! As we set out the dessert bar, guests were coming up and starting to fill up their plates. I had no time to take photos so I am grateful to Jun's co-worker Linda for snapping photos! Alison and Helen are behind the bar getting ready to spend the next few hours refilling desserts. We refilled, refilled and refilled over 1000 items!

Menu (I've included links to some of the recipes/posts)

• Chocolate Buttermilk Cupcakes with Mascarpone Frosting
• Chocolate Mint Cupcakes with Andes Baking Mints and Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
• Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Honey Frosting
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
• Coffee Jello
• Raspberry Jam Shortbread
• Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies (replaced raisins with dried cranberries, used old-fashioned oats)
• Lemon Bars (Barefoot Contessa recipe)
• Lemon Tarts with Meringue
• Fruit Tarts with Vanilla Pastry Cream
• Vanilla Cream Puffs
• Chocolate Cream Puffs
• Brownies (Sono Bakery)
• Fruit kabobs
• Fresh Fuyu Persimmon
• Mochi from Sakura-ya in Gardena, CA

By the numbers...(Okay, if you went to the wedding, you can skip this little part...or realize that you danced all night and worked it all off).

• 1,040 pieces of dessert and fruit
• 8 dozen eggs (Next time, I'm getting myself a chicken. Hee hee. There will be no "next time.")
• 30 sticks of butter (I looked like a mad woman checking out of Trader Joe's with 8 boxes of butter in my cart)
• And so much cream cheese, chocolate, lemons, sugar and flour...

Special Thanks to...

• My friend Helen and her daughter Alison who helped sooooo much!
• My mom and auntie who came over on Thursday and Friday to do all my dishes and help organize the treats.
• My cousin who filled up my car with gas the morning of the wedding and ran errands for me.
• My friend Socrates and his boyfriend Jesus who helped plate the desserts and prep the dessert bar.
• Jun's co-worker Linda who was able to take awesome photos of the dessert bar while we were setting up (you can totally be a food photographer!)
• My friends JustJenn, Diane, Jessica, Fellow Mary, co-workers, and blogger friends who supported me via txt message, email messages and twitter.

Thanks Jun and David for accepting my gift of desserts. (Seriously, what were you thinking entrusting me with such an important part of your day?!) Thank you for including me in your special day, and I send you a dessert bar full of good wishes for many more happy years together!
- mary the food librarian

Photo notes: Food photos and top wedding photo by Linda Y, friend of Jun's.

Lemon Bundt Cake - Day #19 of I Like Big Bundts

Lemon Bundt Cake with double glaze

Okay. I have about 5 minutes to tell you about this Bundt. I'm doing the dessert bar for my friend's wedding on Saturday and am surrounded by flour, sugar and vats of butter. I baked this Bundt this morning and it made the kitchen smell very lemony! :)

It's Day #19 of I Like Big Bundts! The Food Librarian's crazy, insane quest to bring you 30 Bundts in 30 Days. We end on National Bundt Day, November 15th. Is it marked in your calendar? I hope you make a Bundt! I did this last year so here are 30 suggestions. And I'm never doing this again so bookmark your favorites now!

 

Lemon. My absolutely favorite flavor. Ever. I used to eat lemons straight off my parent's tree. Until my DDS told me not to. (Darn you people who care about the enamel on my teeth!). Still, I try all types of lemon flavored treats and use Sensodyne Pronamel toothpaste.

This was made in my Nordic Ware Rose Bundt pan. I like the pan, but I think it is best to make light colored items...chocolate doesn't show off the curves.

You mix. You bake. You have a Bundt. Then you invert and top with a lemon sugar syrup. Doesn't that sound good?

Then a second glaze of powdered sugar and milk is applied to the cool cake. I don't think mine looks so hot. Next time, I'll make it thinner, and use a pastry brush to cover the whole cake.

Since I am multi-tasking big time right now, I made this Bundt while wearing these new shoes in an effort to break them in. And should I mention that I was also wearing pajama bottoms, a t-shirt and an apron? Yes, call the "Fashion Librarian." Not. I looked like a goofball in the kitchen and my feet are hurting. I'm going to need a foot massage after this wedding and Bundt-a-thon.

The lemon syrup really added a lot of lemon flavor to this Bundt. Do Not Skip This Step. If you do, your dentist will approve, but lemon lovers will run you out of town. And if you are wearing those heels, you won't get very far before they get you.

Thanks to my friend JustJenn for making this logo! justJenn Designs is selling a line of Bundt related cards and buttons! Have a great time at the FoodBuzz Festival!

Since I knew I would be crazed, I have a guest blogger coming in tomorrow. She's a librarian (since this is called The Food Librarian, I've only had guest bloggers who are librarians! ha ha); Susan is kind enough to help me present 30 Bundts in 30 Days. I thought I could make them all myself, but I understand my limitations and want to devote myself to this wedding. My friends Jun and David only get married once, so they need to have a good dessert bar! :) See you tomorrow for another Bundt! - mary the food librarian

Lemon Bundt Cake

Adapted from Woman's Day Kitchen from Woman's Day (September 16, 2008)

I needed about 5 lemons to make this Bundt.

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt (I used 75% yogurt and 25% sour cream because I didn't have enough yogurt)
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1⁄4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups sugar
1 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
4 large eggs, room temp
2 3⁄4 cups cake flour (not self-rising) (I used Swan's)


Lemon Syrup
1⁄2 cup each lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup water

Glaze
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
4 to 5 tsp milk

1. Preheat oven 350ºF. Prep a 10-inch (12-cup) Bundt pan. I spray mine with Pam with Flour or Bakers Joy. Since I used a 10-cup Bundt pan, I didn't use all the batter and made some cupcakes with the extra.
2. Whisk together yogurt, lemon zest, juice and vanilla in small bowl.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl.
4. With a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Reduce to low speed. Add half the flour mixture, then the yogurt mixture, followed by the remaining dry mixture. Mix just until blended. Don't overmix, and finish off with a spatula.
6. Scoop into prepared Bundt pan.
7. Bake 50 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 10-20 minutes before inverting on rack.
8. Syrup: While cake is cooling, bring syrup ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium; simmer, uncovered, 12 minutes or until syrupy. Brush over warm cake; let cake cool completely.
9. Glaze: Mix confectioners’ sugar and just enough milk until smooth; spoon over completely cooled cake.

Coffee Jello & Coffee-Break Muffins (Wake Up Care Package)

Question: How can you help friends turn from night people into early morning people?
Answer: Caffeine.

I have some friends who switched their work schedule and now start really early in the morning. By the second day of the new schedule, it looked like everyone just got off a transatlantic flight and had some major jetlag.

So, I made a Wake Up Care Package. Everything with sugar. Everything with caffeine. That's how I roll. Well, that's how I gift.

I made Coffee Jello. Since I first created and posted this recipe, it has been much clicked on and made. And I must say, It. Is. Fantastic. If you are a coffee drinker, you'll like it.

I also made Dorie Greenspan's Coffee-Break Muffins.

The only problem with this care package is that as I was preparing it for delivery, I kept eating the end pieces of the Coffee Jello and had to try one of the muffins (quality control people, quality control). But I don't drink caffeine so I got so. freaking. wired. My heart was racing and I was talking a mile a minute. I already talk fast, so I was like that "vintage" FedEx commercial guy.

Then I got a big headache and remembered why I don't have caffeine. Anyway, make these treats for a friend (who is accustomed to caffeine) as an edible wake up call.

P.S. Come back on Saturday as I lurch toward my 40th birthday. I'll be 39 8/12 and I'll be having another giveaway!

Recipes:
Coffee Jello (blog entry and printable recipe)

Coffee-Break Muffins
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup strong coffee, cooled
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (1 stick)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I added)

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Prep 12 muffin cups.
2. In a big bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, espresso powder, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Stir in the brown sugar, making sure there are no lumps.
4. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk the coffee, melted butter, egg, and vanilla until combined. (I used Starbucks VIA (one packet). Since the coffee needs to be cool, I used about 1/3 cup boiling water, mixed til dissolved, and filled it with 2/3 cup cold water.)
5. Add mini chocolate chips. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and, with a whisk, gently but quickly stir to blend; don't overmix.
6. Scoop into muffins. I use an ice cream scoop.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean. Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, or Countdown to 40 Giveaway - I'm 39 7/12 years old!

Happy Pre-Birthday.
To me.
Damnit.

I'm turning 40 in five months. I'll be honest with you and say I'm a little weirded out by this one. I'm THAT person who just loves birthdays. But this one is taking some getting used to...although I just heard 40 is the new 30.

So, to get into the groove, I'm starting the birthday celebration NOW. In my 30's.

I'll be giving something away each month before my December 7, 2010 birthday.

And don't I know how to get this party started? Yes, by buying myself this cool serving tray at Crate & Barrel. Only $9.95! I'm frugal and 39 7/12!

For the "5 month" countdown, I'm giving away a $39 7/12 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner! ($39.58 US Dollar gift certificate to Amazon.com) To enter, just leave a comment (if you aren't connected to a blog, leave your email address). Deadline is Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at midnight PDT. **Updated: Contest is closed. Congrats to Vicki #8 who won!**

Here are 39 7/12 peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

Recipe:
I've made these Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk cookies before, but they are a true favorite. This time, I used Cadbury Dark Chocolate Chips that my cousin brought back from a trip to Ireland.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chunk cookies (adapted from Everyday Food - Martha Stewart empire)

My printable recipe here

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky) (I used Jif smooth. I really like the smooth PB for this recipe)
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar (I've made it with both light and dark brown sugar)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks (I've used Nestle chips, chunks and Cadbury dark chocolate chips...all with delicious results!!)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking soda; set aside. With a Kitchen Aid and paddle, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugars until light and fluffy...about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, beating just until combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.
2. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart, onto two large baking sheets. I used half-sheet pans and a Silpat or parchment paper. Bake until golden, 13 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Sorry I haven't been posting much lately. Lots of stuff going on...in addition to the World Cup's games at 4:30 am, my usual baking time. I apologize for missing several Tuesdays with Dorie weeks, and hope to get back into the swing of things soon. And special thanks to a few readers who sent me emails asking if I was okay! That was so thoughtful!

Remember Team Dave and the Los Angeles Marathon? I brought this lovely dessert to the post-marathon party. It's a great summer cake for a casual dinner party or way to highlight beautiful strawberries!

I adapted the recipe from Sky-High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman. Man, you have to get this book. It is Delicious with a capital D.

This cake is light (made with cake flour) and just delicious. Get her book for the filling which includes rose water. I didn't do that for this version, just macerated some strawberries in sugar.

Here is the Sky-High cake in three layers...see post here.

I've make this in a 6" triple layer before and it is quite lovely, but does NOT travel well at all. So this time I decided to make two 8" layers and assemble it at the party. Nothing like pulling out a whisk at the party...makes you look like a baker! :)

Strawberry Shortcake Cake
Adapted from Sky High: Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman, page 89

Cake:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 - 2 cups heavy cream

Fresh Strawberry Filling (See the book for this recipe that includes rosewater...I just macerated some strawberries with sugar)

Whole strawberries, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. I made mine with two 8" cake pans. The original recipes calls for three 6" pans.
2. Cream butter, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
3. Sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to the batter, alternating with the buttermilk in 3 additions. Divide among the prepared pans.
5. I don't remember how long I baked my 8" pans. The 6" pans bake for 20-25 minutes. I pulled them out when a toothpick came out clean. I let them cool for 10 minutes and then cooled them on a cake rack.

Assembly:
1. In a large chilled bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 2 tbsp of sugar until stiff.
2. Assemble the cake with cake, strawberries, whipped cream and repeat. Finish with your best strawberries on top. Enjoy!
Again, the book has a recipe for fresh strawberry filing that includes rose water.

Mini Strawberry Shortcakes

California strawberries are exploding all over the Farmer's Market. A three-pack of deliciousness runs $5 - $8. Yum!!

So what to do to showcase these lovely fruits?! Strawberry shortcake!

I used the Tartine (delicious San Francisco bakery...a must-go on any trip up North) recipe for the biscuits from their cookbook, Tartine.

These biscuits come together in no time! Cut in some butter, mix in heavy cream, pat out the dough, cut and brush with sugar. Easy peasy!

I split the biscuit, layered in some strawberries (macerated in sugar for 15 minutes), and some whipped cream (with a little sugar and vanilla).

The Tartine recipe makes 6 four-inch biscuits but I used a small circle cutter and got 15 minis. Serving them in cupcake liners makes it easier for my co-workers to grab (I did put out forks).

Mini strawberry shortcakes. Summer fruit delights. And isn't this cake stand awesome? I'm borrowing it from my cousin...who may never see it again! :)

Recipe:
Click here for printable recipe
Adapted from Tartine, page 116 (Amazon or WorldCat)
Mixed-Berry Shortcakes - Be sure to pick up the book to get their berry-caramel sauce!

Biscuits
2 1/2 C + 2 T (12 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 c sugar
3/4 t salt
7 T unsalted butter, very cold
1 C heavy cream, very cold
Extra cream and sugar for the tops

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. Cut butter into small pieces, and cut butter into dry ingredients. I used a pastry blender, but you can use 2 knives or your fingers to get pea size pieces of butter.
4. Make a well in the center and pour in the cream. Gently mix the dough together with a wooden spoon or your hands. Don't overmix...it'll look shaggy.
5. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 1-inch thick. I didn't have time for a roller so I just patted it out. Tartine uses a 4-inch circle cutter (for 6 circles). I used a small 2-inch circle cutter and got 15 biscuits.
6. Place biscuits on baking sheet (I placed on a Silpat) and brush tops with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar.
7. Bake until golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

For my shortcakes, I cut about a pint of strawberries and macerated them in some sugar - amount of sugar depends on the sweetness of your strawberries. I whipped some heavy cream (about 1 1/2 cups) and with sugar and vanilla (to taste). Assemble and serve immediately or within a few hours. I assembled mine at 6:30 am, drove to work, stuck them in the fridge and served them at 11:00 am for a coffeebreak/pre-lunch treat. :)

SoNo Bakery Brownies - John Barricelli

SoNo Brownies

The nice guy on Everyday Food and Everyday Baking, John Barricelli has a new cookbook, The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook, named for his South Norwalk, Connecticut bakery.

My friend, Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet has even been to the bakery! Since it is a little far for me to drop in, I made the SoNo Brownies on page 86 of his book.

This is a really easy recipe. Quick and easy. You make it in a pot, not a KitchenAid. I love making stuff on the stove. It makes me feel like I'm actually cooking...since I do very little real cooking. :)

Made with cocoa and chocolate chips, this is a nice and rich brownie.

These were a big hit at work. I really liked them and will make them again for sure.

Recipe:
Click here for printable copy
Adapted from The Sono Baking Company Cookbook: Amazon or WorldCat (see if your library has it)

SoNo Brownies
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Penzy's Dutch cocoa)
1/2 t salt
1/4 t baking powder
Pinch of baking soda
1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 c sugar
1 T light corn syrup
2 large eggs, room temp (To bring them to room temp quickly, place in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes)
1 T vanilla extract
1 C semisweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1. Use an 8-inch square baking pan. Butter or spray. I lined mine with parchment paper.
2. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
3. Whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and soda.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the sugar and corn syrup, whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Whisk in vanilla.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold in the chocolate chips. Don't overmix.
6. Pour into pan, smooth the top. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
7. Cool in pan and then eat!! Enjoy!

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes & Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes with Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting

Sweet Valley High books started in 1983. I was 13 years old and made my mom buy countless books for me. Yeah, I've always been into chick lit and the RomCom. Anyway, in these novels, there is often the, as I call it, "electric moment." You know, when the girl sees the guy and it is electrifying. Or when their hands touch and she can feel the deep connection.

Well, I had that deep emotional connection. No, not with the Sweet Valley High guy, but with Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting.

We celebrated two birthdays at the library earlier this week and I made some mini cupcakes. The cupcake is Martha Stewart's One Bowl Chocolate cake with added espresso, and JustJenn's Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting.

The Mascarpone Frosting was divine. I'm not a fan of super sweet, buttery frosting, so this was heaven. It is light, slightly sweet and did I mention light? One of the birthday people said she could eat a whole bowl of the frosting. It is dangerous and delicious. Make it. You'll find that electric moment too.

Recipe:
1. Martha Stewart's One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcake - Make the recipe here, but add 1 T instant espresso powder (I use this brand) to the warm water to dissolve. It isn't overpowering, but it brings out the chocolate flavor. I baked the mini cupcakes for 10 minutes.

2. justJENN recipe for Mascarpone Frosting. Make this. Save some for the cupcakes and grab a big spoon and eat the rest.

David Lebovitz's Fresh Ginger Cake

Fresh Ginger Cake

Ginger is awesome. It can help prevent nausea, settle your tummy, makes an awesome tea, and is delicious candied. Oh, ginger, you rock.

So, when my Ready for Dessert book by my favorite blogger and pastry chef, David Lebovitz came in the mail, I immediately decided to make this Fresh Ginger Cake first!

The cake uses 4 ounces of fresh ginger. You can chop it by hand, but I pulled out my mini-processor and whizzed it around. I guess that made about 1/2-3/4 cup of fresh ginger.

This is a pretty strong ginger cake. Probably not for children...but great for adults with a taste for ginger.

A nice scoop of whipped cream would be lovely! That would provide a nice balance to the strong ginger flavor.

Epicurious recipe says to use a 9 x 3 inch pan, but David's book says 9 x 2. You need a 9 x 3 or a tall springform. I believe this will come over the edge on a 9 x 2 pan, and you would lose lots of yummy cake. Look how tall this cake is!

I drank ginger tea while eating ginger cake. Yes, I love me the ginger.

Please pick up David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert, and try this recipe! I have a bunch of other recipes marked and can't wait to try them.

Recipe:
Fresh Ginger Cake
Click here for printable recipe
Adapted from Ready for Dessert by David Lebovitz, page 42, or Epicurious

4 ounces fresh ginger
1 cup mild molasses (I used Grandma's original molasses)
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil, preferably peanut (I used canola oil)
2 1/2 cups flour (I used King Arthur unbleached AP flour)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used Penzy's cinnamon)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (I used Penzy's ground cloves)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (I used Shillings black pepper rather than fresh cracked pepper because it is finer)
1 cup water
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs, at room temperature

1. Preheat over to 350°F. Put rack in the center of the oven. The Epicurious recipe recommends a 9 by 3-inch round cake pan or a 9 1/2 inch springform pan (bottom lined with parchment), but Ready for Dessert says 9 inch springform or 9 x 2-inch round cake pan. However, based on the size of the cake, I don't recommend a 9 x 2 inch pan...it'll be too small.
2. Peel, slice, and chop the ginger very fine with a knife, use a grater, or food processor. I used my mini-food processor for quick work.
3. Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil in a large bowl. I used a whisk.
4. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper and set aside.
5. Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, stir in the baking soda, and then mix the hot water into the molasses mixture. Stir in the ginger.
6. Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the batter.
7. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I checked mine after 50 minutes, and it was done at 55 minutes.
9. If the top of the cake browns too quickly before the cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.
10. Cool the cake for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. I let mine cool completely overnight and removed it the next morning. Remove the cake from the pan and peel off the parchment paper.
11. I think a nice dollop of lightly sweetened whip cream would be lovely with this cake. David recommends whipped cream, ice cream or fruit compote. His book has a recipe for a raspberry plum compote.