Part of the Christmas series featuring Flour & Co Bakers and their favorite holiday recipes.
As a continuation of the 2017 holiday series featuring my talented Flour & Co baking team (read our collaborative Thanksgiving post), I’ve roped in six of my favorite bakers from over the years to reminisce about surviving the holidays in a demanding professional kitchen, and to share their cherished Christmas recipes. Shelby’s sharing her Gingerbread Cake. Always a favorite Christmas flavor!
Meet Shelby (see her Cabernet Cranberry Sauce Thanksgiving recipe here)! She joined our team prior to the opening of the bakery. Knowing that she lived across the bay, I was overjoyed when she accepted the offer to drive across the bridge every day to work with us. She was an integral part of making it happen that April 8, 2013 (opening day), and thereafter. Shelby is a talented baker, multi-tasker, speed-doer, team player, and leader, doing it all with an infectious smile and laugh. Positive to the end, Shelby could make anything happen…and she did! Shelby was Jamy’s right hand gal, and boy did they make a dynamic duo…perfectly paired.
Side note: Shelby liked and often did the opening shift at 4am. Her husband would drive her from the East Bay for work (and then drive back), and she’d always arrive early! I’d call that commitment, and her husband deserves a gold star!
And another note: Shelby now has her own home baking business in Michigan, Buttercup Baking Co. If you live near Clarkston, look it up and find her @buttercupbakingcompany on Instagram, buttercupbaking@outlook.com.
Q&A with Shelby~
Why/how was your experience at Flour & Co significant to you? I had just moved to the Bay Area from Metro Detroit, MI, newly married and ready for the next phase of my life! I had previously worked at a Cupcake Shop and craved more out of my abilities and career. The dynamic menu (and small space) challenged me daily and provided exactly what I had been motivated to find at that point in my career. Not only did I love working there, I met some of the most wonderful people ever that I know I’ll be connected to always.
Describe Flour & Co at the holidays. Flour & Co at Christmas was simply wonderful. I loved the idea of having the cookie decorating classes and making all the components for them. In the kitchen, we were busy elves making pies for everyone to eat. We always did a staff holiday party. Ice skating one year and a boat ride in the Bay another.
What was the hardest part about working in the kitchen during the holidays? Space! We had lots of kitchen help in a small amount of space. That means we needed efficient workers to get the jobs done right and manage the space well so it didn’t feel smaller than it was. But, we always made it work!
What do you miss most about Flour & Co? Oh my, there are a lot of things I miss about Flour & Co. The people, the food, the atmosphere. Me leaving Flour & Co was also me leaving San Francisco, so they almost go hand and hand in my mind and it’s a heavy question. I miss it more than words could possibly describe. But, also the GF Ham Breakfast Sandwich, ha!!
If you could put together your favorite Christmas dessert table, what would be on it? Gingerbread cake dusted with powdered sugar, decorated sugar cookies (my aunt always makes them), custard pie (if I could Flour & Co’s Egg Nog Pie!) and cranberry orange cookies.
I love holiday baking because…It’s warm, and inviting and fun to make all the different dishes that appeal to all the different people that are around the Holiday table that year.
What’s your favorite family tradition for Christmas? Every year since I can remember my mother has made me biscuits and gravy for breakfast Christmas Day. I expect it and want it forever now at this point! Although, I think last year I made it and she came to my house. Either way, as long as I’ve got myself, my mother and biscuits and gravy I’m all set for that day. Of course, I’ll continue that tradition with my daughter and maybe some day that’ll be her best memory too!
Why are you sharing this recipe? Gingerbread and Christmas go together. This cake is deliciously moist and tender. It can easily be made into a layered cake. I personally love the simplicity of just a square piece with powdered sugar on top – the ginger and spices are the star of the show!
Gingerbread Cake
This Gingerbread Cake is deliciously moist and tender. It can easily be made into a layered cake. I personally love the simplicity of just a square piece with powdered sugar on top – the ginger and spices are the star of the show!
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 16-20 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups molasses (equals one 12oz jar)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1T ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup puréed pumpkin
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- powdered sugar, for topping.
Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat melt together the molasses, brown sugar, water and butter, stirring occasionally until butter and sugar have dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9×13 pan.
- Sift together the dry ingredients.
- Add eggs, pumpkin, milk and vanilla into your cooled molasses mixture and whisk well to combine.
- Mix wet mixture into your dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
- Pour batter into pre-greased pan and bake for roughly 45 minutes. (I set the timer for 30 minutes, rotate the pan in the oven, set for another 15 minutes and start checking the doneness from there with a toothpick.)
- When toothpick is not wet, a few moist crumbs is fine, take out of oven to cool.
- Once cooled, sift over powdered sugar until there’s a thick coating over the entire cake.
Notes
- Recipe can be easily multiplied for as much or as little as you want to make.
- Recipe can be easily converted into a layered cake with any type of frosting you desire. (I suggest a Spiced Cream Cheese Frosting – they go really well together. Topped with some crystallized ginger. Yummo!)
Happy holiday or Christmas baking! If you bake this Gingerbread Cake, tag #buttercupbakingcompany and #flourandco. We’d love to see your creation!
