Baking with Julia-GingerBread Baby Cakes

I've Got a Theory....

Okay, I'm pretty excited to try these baby cakes.  I love gingerbread!  And how cute are these little cakes!!! 

So perfect for December too.  I'm very glad this recipe was picked.
But I don't have little cake pans. <pout>  What if I used a Bundt pan?  Hmm... 

Not to brag (but I totally am), I have all the ingredients on hand to make these cakes!  <score!!!>  Okay, I'm bragging a lot.  (and giggling) 
Hey, fellow bakers can share in this glee....we all know the awesomeness that is 'having all ingredients on hand'.  It's like sunshine on a cold day. (sure it's still cold but hey, look at that sun!)

I love getting all my ingredients together to have them at the ready.  Some bakers say this helps them not to miss adding an ingredient.  And I'd like to say that is true, but I did just almost miss adding the baking powder....even though it is clearly on the tray of ingredients.  It takes skill to miss an ingredient....right in front of me.  (truth)

Dry Ingredients....Baking Powder AWOL

Whisk, whisk baby

As per the recipe, it does look like the eggs are separating.  But it said not to worry, so I'm not.

It all came together in the end and into the bundt pan. 












Now to the oven.  It says to bake for 50-60 minutes.  I think it is going to take a bit longer than that.  I can smell it baking and it smells good.  Though I am a little worried, as it is a darker pan and things tend to get overbaked on the outside with a dark pan.

My cake got very dark around the edges (you can see it in the photo above).  It doesn't look like this in the cookbook.   Though even the inside of the cake looks dark.

Okay, I think it is the cocoa powder that I used.  It is a very dark cocoa powder. (Valrhona makes the good stuff)  And to be fair, everything I make with it does gets really dark.
The cake could not have baked for any longer without getting burnt on the outside.  But the inside seems chewy.  Perhaps I should have turned the heat down and baked for longer.  Hmmm.


But honestly, I think it is the cocoa powder. 
And here is my evidence. 
My good Valrhona cocoa powder is on the left.   Look at how dark and beautiful it is compared to the cocoa powder I used to use.  Yes, used to....before I changed my ways. 


So, I've got a theory........

I'm thinking if I had used my lesser good (yes, lesser good...I'm sticking with that) cocoa powder the cake would not have turned out so dark.  That may have just been more of a statement than a theory. 


But I like saying, 'I've got a theory'....cause when I say 'I've got a theory', I think of a Buffy episode....specifically the episode "Once more, with Feeling"....the one where they sing throughout the whole thing.  And one of the songs is called "I've got a Theory". 
Aaaaand I sort of feel that I'm rambling on now.  So I'll just stop right here. 
"Bunnies!!Bunnies!  It must be bunnies!" (only funny if you did indeed watch said Buffy episode)  Honestly, I'll stop now.

Perhaps I'm trying to avoid the cake issue.  Or more precisely my issue with the cake. 
The taste of the cake was okay.  I was so looking forward to this cake.  I voted for this cake.  I believed in this cake.  But it just didn't meet my expectations taste wise.  Maybe it was too much fresh ginger. 

I think I would try the cake again.  But next time in a lighter cake pan and with a lighter cocoa powder.  And perhaps with a different baker.....just sayin'.