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1
Preheat oven to 350u00b0F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment and butter again.
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2
In a small pot, bring water and tea bags to a boil. Remove from heat. Allow to steep while preparing the remaining ingredients.
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3
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves).
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4
Whisk together molasses, sugar, sour cream, grated ginger and vanilla in another bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Slowly stream in oil, while whisking constantly.
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5
Remove tea bags from boiling tea, squeezing out any liquid. Slowly pour hot tea into wet ingredients, while whisking constantly.
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6
Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients in 2-3 additions. Incorporate fully, but do not over-mix. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
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7
Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the cake is springy to the touch. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. When cooled, run a knife around the sides to loosen the cake, and invert onto a plate. Peel away parchment paper, and invert onto another plate, so the cake is top-side-up.
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8
For the frosting, whip heavy cream on high-speed in a standing mixer, using the whisk attachment, for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until soft peaks form. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
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9
Add cream cheese and butter to the mixing bowl. Using the paddle attachment, whip together until smooth. Add honey, vanilla and salt, and blend until well-combined.
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10
Add powdered sugar in 2-3 additions, and mix on low-speed until incorporated. Remove bowl from the mixer. Gently fold whipped cream into the frosting base, in 3 additions, until combined. Transfer to the fridge until ready use.
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11
To frost the cake, use an offset spatula and frost the top, leaving the sides bare, if desired. Sprinkle chopped pecans around the rim of the cake. Enjoy.
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12
Note: You will need about 4-5 inches of fresh ginger to yield 2 tablespoons of finely grated ginger.