Chocolate Ginger Cake

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups strong black coffee, cooled
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup mayonnaise

Chocolate Ginger Ganache

• 8 ounces dark chocolate, grated or chopped fine
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, grated

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9x9 inch round or square cake pan with butter and sprinkle with some flour or line with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cocoa and ginger.
4. In a medium bowl mix molasses, coffee, eggs and mayonaisse.
5. Use an electric mixer and on low speed blend the wet and dry ingredients. Mix for about 5 minutes until very smooth and creamy.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan.
7. Bake about 45-50 minutes in the middle rack of your oven.
8. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving or frosting.

Ginger Chocolate Ganache

1. Chop the chocolate into fine pieces and put into a heat proof pot.
2. In a small pot, bring the heavy cream to a boil over medium to high heat.
3. Pour the boiling cream over the finely chopped chocolate. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Leave to sit for 10 minutes and do not stir. Stirring will cool the ganache too quickly and make it grainy.
5. After 10 minutes, stir with a whisk until the ganache is nice and creamy.
6. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides to be sure the chocolate is off the bottom of the pot.
7. Stir in the grated ginger.
8. Top cooled cake with ganache and garnish as you please.