Few things are cozier than a piece of warm gingerbread on a brisk, cold night. Teff flour is a soft, almost-fluffy whole-grain flour with an intense nuttiness that makes it excellent for baking. But the beauty of fresh gingerbread is finding the perfect texture—delicate yet dense—so we add in a bit of hearty whole-wheat flour to give this treat a heftier, more winter-worthy base. The stout beer adds a pleasantly earthy bitterness that perfectly complements the molasses, fresh ginger, and cinnamon; any frothy leftovers will pair nicely with a still-warm baked square. If you don’t have any stout on hand, simply use 1⁄4 cup additional buttermilk instead. We cut sugar by a third, allowing the warm spices and nutty flours to consume the palate. Freshly grated gingerroot makes this cake sing at opera-level status.
How to Make It
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, molasses, oil, beer, granulated sugar, ginger, and egg in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture, whisking just until blended.
Pour batter into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 45 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle gingerbread with powdered sugar; cut into 12 squares.