Design Crafters

My grandmother on my mother’s side of the family is German, and every Christmas, she would bake her homemade German Gingerbread Loafs.  My family loved them - they were just the right combination of sugar and spice.  Before my grandmother passed away a few years ago, she handed down this recipe to me, and now every Christmas I am the one in the kitchen baking.

To moake my grandma’s german gingerbread here is what you will need:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup blanched slivered almonds

Here is what you will need to do:

1. To begin, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and spices.

1. Next, in a large bowl, mix together the butter or margarine with the brown sugar.
   
2. Then, beat in the eggs, then the honey, orange liqueur, sour cream, and orange juice.
   
3. Once it is all mixed well, beat the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, and then stir in the raisins and almonds.
   
4. Once the batter is mixed thoroughly, turn batter into a greased and floured tube pan, and bake cake at 350 degrees F for 80 minutes, or until it tests done with toothpick.
   
5. Transfer to a rack to cool.

This is a really easy recipe…very little work for a great loaf of bread.