Victoria Special Issues – July 2019

¾ cup butter, soft ened

¾ cup sour cream

1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup molasses

3 large eggs

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¾ teaspoon ground ginger

Wine-Poached Pears (recipe follows)

Butterscotch Sauce (recipe follows)

Chocolate-Covered Walnuts (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 8x3-inch round cake
   pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parch-
   ment paper, and spray again.


2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sour cream with a
   mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add brown sugar,
   beating until mixture is fluff y. Beat in molasses. Add
   eggs, one at a time, beating well aft er each addition.


3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, baking
   soda, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger. Gradually add to
   butter mixture, beating until mixture is smooth. Pour
   batter into prepared pan.


4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center
   of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour, covering
   cake with foil halfway through baking to prevent
   excess browning, if necessary. Let cool in pan for
   10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool com-
   pletely on a wire rack. Top cake with Wine-Poached
   Pears, drizzle with Butterscotch Sauce, and sprinkle
   with Chocolate-Covered Walnuts.

Wine-Poached Pears

Makes 6

1 (750-ml) bottle dry white wine

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons sliced fresh ginger

2 (2-inch) pieces orange peel

6 small pears, peeled

In a large saucepan, combine wine, 2 cups water, sugar,

ginger, and orange peel. Bring to a boil over medium-

high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

Add pears; return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer

until pears are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from

heat, and let pears cool in poaching liquid. Cover and

refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Butterscotch Sauce

Makes approximately ¾ cup

¼ cup butter

½ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

½ cup heavy whipping cream

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, and

cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce

heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and

stir in salt and vanilla extract. Let cool completely, and

refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Rewarm before using.

Chocolate-Covered Walnuts

Makes approximately 3 cups

3 cups walnut halves

1 (4-ounce) bar bittersweet chocolate, melted

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dip walnut

halves in melted chocolate, shaking off excess. Place

on prepared pan, and let stand until chocolate is firm.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

15 Victoria Classics FALL BAKING

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Ch. 1

Ginger Cake with

Wine-Poached Pears

Makes 1 (8-inch) cake