Gingerbread Cake with Salted Bourbon Date Caramel

Celebrate the holidays with this ultra moist Gingerbread Cake with Salted Bourbon Date Caramel Sauce! The cake is scented with warm spices of ginger, cinnamon, clove, allspice and nutmeg and is naturally sweetened with date syrup and date sugar!

Recipe comes from the incredible Lisa. Make sure you check out her other recipes, too! https://www.shortstackkitchen.com/ 

Salted Bourbon Date Caramel 

• 1/2 Cup (160 g) D’vash Organics Date Syrup
• 4 Tbsp (56 g) Unsalted Butter
• 1 Cup (227 g) Heavy Cream
• 3/4 Tsp Salt
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
• 2 to 3 Tsp Bourbon or Dark Rum, optional but highly recommend

Gingerbread Cake

• 2 1/2 Cups (300 g) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Baking Soda
• 3 Tsp Ground Ginger (for stronger ginger flavor add an extra 1/2 tsp)
• 2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Cloves
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Allspice
• 1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 3/4 Cup (240 g) D’vash Organics Date Syrup
• 3/4 cup (126 g) D’vash Organics Date Sugar
• 3/4 cup (148 g) Neutral Oil
• 3 Large Egg, room temp
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Paste or Extract
• 1/2 Cup (113 g) Full-Fat Sour Cream or Full-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt, room temp
• 3/4 Cup (170 g) Buttermilk, room temp

Salted Bourbon Date Caramel 

1. Add date syrup and butter to a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring mixture to a boil for 2 minutes.
2. Slowly pour in the heavy cream and whisk until incorporated. Whisking often, cook until the caramel thickens. About 5 minutes. Keep in mind that once the caramel cools, it will thicken a lot more.
3. Turn the heat off and mix in your vanilla, salt and bourbon or rum (if using). 
4. Pour in a glass jar and enjoy for up to 2 weeks! I love making caramel in advance as it stores so well in the fridge. When you are ready to serve, place it in the microwave and heat in 10 second intervals until your desired consistency.

Gingerbread Cake

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC).
2. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan and set aside. I like to use a baking spray such as Baker’s Joy. It comes out clean every time!
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices and set aside.
4. With a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine date syrup, date sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. Next, add the sour cream or Greek yogurt and mix for 1 more minute.
6. On low, alternate between mixing your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices) and buttermilk just until combined. Start by adding a third of the dry ingredients, then half of the buttermilk, another third of the dry, the rest of the buttermilk and finally, the rest of the dry (dry, wet, dry, wet, dry). Remember to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after each addition. Careful not to overmix.
7. Transfer the batter to your prepared 10-cup bundt pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Mine finished after 35 minutes. The cake is done when an inserted toothpick comes out with very few crumbs or the internal temp is 200ºF (93ºC).
8. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Once completely cooled, dust with powdered sugar if you wish and serve with your delicious Salted Bourbon Date Caramel. Enjoy!!