Dessert: Molasses-Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Katie Rosenhouse, pastry chef at Olana in New York City, makes gingerbread year-round — not just at Christmastime. Her supermoist cake, flavored with molasses for a mellow sweetness, is excellent with wine-poached pears or a topping of whipped mascarpone

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon, Honey

Health and fertility benefits of Molasses-Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. One tbsp of honey has a glycemic index (GI) of 55.

Ingredients

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 c. plus 2 tablespoons molasses
1/4 c. plus 2 tablespoons honey
2 eggs
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
3/4 c. boiling water
1 orange
4 c. water
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. mascarpone
3/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 tsp. finely grated orange zest
2 tbsp. confectioners' sugar
pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 °. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the ground ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the canola oil with the brown sugar, molasses, honey, eggs, and lemon zest until smooth. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. Whisk in the boiling water. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack and let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the orange confit: In a medium saucepan, combine the strips of orange zest with the water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook over high heat until syrupy and the orange zest is soft, about 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the orange confit to a plate; discard the syrup.
Make the mascarpone cream: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the mascarpone with the cream, orange zest, confectioners' sugar, and salt until soft peaks form.
Cut the molasses-gingerbread cake into squares and transfer to plates. Dollop the mascarpone cream on top, garnish with the orange confit, and serve.

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