Gingerbread Pound Cake Surprise

pst... I have a surprise on the inside

I made 3 mini loaves of pound cake and it took me about 4 hours to make. There are 3 steps to this recipe. I spread it across two days. Most of the time you're waiting for the cake to cool. 2 days, 4 hours, to be devoured by the little ones at my family Christmas party in 5 seconds.

These are the pound cake eating culprits. They only look innocent but they will devour sweets in t-5 seconds. 

(1) Gingerbread Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 cup butter, softened 
• 1 teaspoon all spice 
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ginger 
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch loaf pan with baker's joy baking spray with flour
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, all spice, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat after each egg. Add applesauce and mix into creamed butter.
5. Add flour mixture to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
6. Pour the batter into a loaf pan.
7. Bake for 55 minutes - 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out just slightly sticky.

After the gingerbread pound cake cools, cut into 1 inch slices. Using a cookie cutter, cut shapes and line in the middle of the loaf pan.

(2) Paula Deen's Mama's Pound Cake (slightly altered)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 
• 3 cups sugar 
• 5 eggs 
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 cup milk 
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 3 mini loaf pan with baker's joy baking spray with flour
2. With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together.
3. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
4. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
5. Pour into mini loaf lined with gingerbread pound cake shapes
6. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool for about 30 min - 1 hour before placing in fridge. I left it overnight and added the frosting the next day.

(3) Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.)  cream cheese, softened 
• 1/4 cup butter, softened 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in cinnamon.
2. Spread on top of pound cake with butter knife. Top with walnuts.

o christmas tree o christmas tree! oh how you are tastee

I made the gingerbread pound cake with the intention of cutting out mini gingerbread men. I have two of them and couldn't find them worth my life! I scoured the entire kitchen, my two boxes of cookie cutters, my junk drawer, and they were no where to be found. I even contemplated running to my nearest Wal-mart to buy another set and decided I was too lazy so I used my christmas tree cutter instead. Pretty cute except it looks like the leaning tower of piza. Oh well, it all goes down the same way and people were impressed nonetheless :)

Happy Holidays!