Cacao & Ginger Loaf
Cacao and ginger are comforting winter staples, both of which remind me of a cozy night at home. This loaf is good at room temperature or warmed up for about 10 seconds in the microwave with a little butter on top. Happy holidays! Enjoy!
This recipe first appeared in my recipe column titled Mixing with Zest in The Westfield Leader on December 24, 2020 on Page 12.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar (make sure you pack it into the measuring cup)
½ cup oat milk (or milk of your choosing)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ¾ oz. dark chocolate bar
3 tablespoons crystallized ginger chips
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup full-fat sour cream
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, whisk together two eggs. Set to the side.
Roughly chop your chocolate bar and crystallized ginger. Set to the side.
In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients, including: flour (make sure you sift it), cacao powder, baking powder, cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar.
Then it’s time to add your remaining ingredients, including: oat milk, vanilla, chopped chocolate, chopped ginger, maple syrup and sour cream (Do not mix until you’ve added all the remaining ingredients. You want to minimize the amount of mixing you’re doing, so only mix the ingredients until well combined.)
Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Top with a few chopped ginger chips. (Your batter will be very thin, but don’t worry! This keeps the loaf moist while it’s baking since cacao powder tends to dry things out.)
Bake in the oven for ~45-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave it out and let it cool completely. If you’re storing it overnight, make sure to securely wrap it in foil.