Time to Bake

Now that the necessary boxes have been unpacked and the house organized, I have time to bake. What fun to create this Ginger Cake from a recipe my neighbor Phyllis had given me along with a new bundt pan and cake holder. The trick was finding the Guinness Stout. After visiting 5 places and even calling a local pub, I had to wait another day for the grocery store to renew its stock. I now will keep a six-pack in the fridge to use in the future. We tested the cake, and it was good; not as good as Phyllis' version, but I am working on that! We love a local Ginger Ice Cream created by the nearby Walpole Creamery, but the local suppliers have sold out. There is one more little grocery to check... Meanwhile, we also like it with vanilla ice cream. Hungry yet?
Here's the recipe:
Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread
Recipe given to me by Phyllis Goodenough, my neighbor in Neenah, WI
P. 153 Feb. 2000 Gourmet
Serves 8-10
Oven 350 degrees
10 inch bundt pan
1 cup Guinness stout (other dark beers have been used) Sip the rest as you work.
1 cup dark molasses (not blackstrap)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tb. ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
pinch of cardamon
3 large eggs
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
confectioners sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter bundt pan and dust with flour, knocking out
excess.
Bring stout and molasses to a boil in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in baking soda, then cool to room temperature.
Sift flour, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and sugars in another bowl. Whisk in oil, then molasses mixture. Add to the flour mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into bundt pan and rap pan sharply on counter to eliminate air bubbles. (Batter is thin.) Bake in middle of oven until tester comes out with just a few moinst crumbs adhering, about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Serve cake, dusted with confectioners sugar, with whipped cream or ice cream.
Enjoy! I have frozen this quite successfully. It is also good gently warmed.