Piernik (Polish Gingerbread Cake)

Name: Piernik (Polish Gingerbread Cake)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 140 g Butter; 300 g Light honey; 100 g Brown sugar; 375 g Flour with baking powder; 3 tsp Ground ginger; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp Ground cloves; 0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg; 0.25 tsp Black pepper; 3 pcs Eggs; 200 g Plum jam; 225 ml Heavy cream; 140 g Dark chocolate; 3 tbsp Light honey

An aromatic multi-layered cake with honey, spices, and creamy frosting. A classic Polish dessert with a delicate crumbly crumb and chocolate coating.

Ingredients

140 g Butter
300 g Light honey
100 g Brown sugar
375 g Flour with baking powder
3 tsp Ground ginger
1 tsp Ground cinnamon
0.5 tsp Ground cloves
0.25 tsp Ground nutmeg
0.25 tsp Black pepper
3 pcs Eggs
200 g Plum jam
225 ml Heavy cream
140 g Dark chocolate
3 tbsp Light honey

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 20 cm round cake pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, add honey, sugar, and butter. Melt everything over medium heat, stirring, until you get a smooth mixture. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a large bowl, sift flour and add all the spices: ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper. Mix well.
When the liquid ingredients have cooled, separate the eggs into a separate bowl and beat lightly. Pour the eggs into the saucepan with the cooled honey mixture and stir.
Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and carefully mix with a whisk until you have a smooth batter. Avoid overmixing, otherwise the cake will turn out dry. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50–55 minutes, until the cake rises and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
Using a sharp serrated knife, divide the cooled cake into three layers. Spread jam on the two bottom layers, then reassemble the cake. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, add cream, chopped chocolate, and honey. Place over low or medium heat and warm, stirring, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture becomes smooth and fluid.
Place the cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Carefully pour the hot frosting on top, spreading it so that it covers the entire cake and drips down the sides. Let the frosting set.
Using a wide spatula, carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate. If desired, sprinkle with edible gold dust for decoration.