Gingerbread Cake Bars - From Bon Appetit July 2009

These were great! A true cross between a cookie and cake. The flavor was just perfect, not too gingery and not too sweet. The texture like I said...lovely. This is a keeper. Thank you Lisa Zwirn.  There’s not one thing you could do to make these any better.  Dead easy and a real treat!

Ingredients

Makes 24 bars

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar

7 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 large eggs

1/4 cup light (unsulfured) molasses

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Place 2 cups flour in medium bowl; transfer 2 tablespoons flour to small bowl and reserve. Add spices, baking soda, and salt to flour in medium bowl; whisk to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, and 6 tablespoons sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then molasses. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat to blend. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Sift reserved 2 tablespoons flour evenly over batter, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake gingerbread until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 22 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack. Cut gingerbread crosswise into 4 strips, then cut each strip into 6 pieces. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Comments

[Lisa Zwirn]

Hi Sally,

I happened upon this link to your blog when I was googling myself (just to see what kind of good or junky and ridiculous stuff that's out there). I'm so glad you enjoyed these gingerbread bars! I had sandwiched them around ice cream for the BA "bar cookie" piece but I also liked them plain. With tea. I haven't made them since testing the recipe for the magazine...now I will.

Keep baking!!
Lisa