Ginger Tea Cake and Grapefruit-Ginger Tea Bread

If you love ginger, in any way, shape, or form, you will love these two quick breads. They are both full of ginger- ground and crystallized. One has grapefruit and the other pumpkin.
I saw the Grapefruit-Ginger Tea Cake in the lastest issue of Vegetarian Times and was intrigued by the thought of combining ginger and grapefruit. It had never crossed my mind as a ingredient combination. The picture in the magazine was of a lovely dark bread with chunks of grapefruit and a beautiful glaze. Mine turned out quite light, but still very delicious.
I decided I wanted to make another Ginger Tea Cake, not really to do a taste test, but just to have 2 options to choose from and something to compare the other tea cake with.
I found a recipe on The Food Network and it included pumpkin. Ginger and pumpkin are a familiar combination to me, so I whipped it up as well.
I already had some crystallized ginger in the pantry, but that stuff can cost a pretty penny. I think that is the key ingredient that really gave both of these breads such a kick, but they would probably still taste good without that ingredient and maybe a little more ground ginger. I made these into mini-loaves and got 4 of the grapefruit-ginger and 3 of the ginger-pumpkin. I reduced the baking time by half to start and then just kept adding a few minutes at a time, until the cakes were done.
Spicy and Delicious!

Ginger Tea Cake from The Food Network
2 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree

1/4 cup reduced-fat buttermilk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 packed cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

Confectioners' sugar, optional

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
Line a large (4 1/2-inch by 9 1/2-inch) metal loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk the pumpkin, buttermilk, and vanilla in another bowl.
Beat the butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the light brown sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes more. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the pumpkin mixture in 2 parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix briefly at medium-low speed to make a smooth batter. Turn off beaters and add the crystallized ginger. Finish folding batter--which will be thick--by hand with a rubber spatula.
Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean and top springs back when lightly pressed, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 to 15 minutes, then invert pan to release cake onto rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired. Serve.

Grapefruit-Ginger Tea Bread from Vegetarian Times January 2009

3/4 cup pecans (3 oz)

2 cups white whole wheat flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 large eggs

6 oz. vanilla nonfat yogurt

1/4 cup milk

3 Tbls. canola oil

2 grapefruit, supremed, segments coarsely chopped, and juice reserved for Glaze

1 Tbls. grapefruit zest

1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger

Glaze:

2/3 cups confectioners sugar

1 Tbls + 1 tsp freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 6-7 minutes, stirring once. Cool slightly and chop.

2. Whisk together flour, and next four ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Whisk yogurt, milk and oil into the eggs. Stir in grapefruit zest and pieces.

4. Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just moistened and no lumps remain. Fold in chopped pecans and crystallized ginger. Transfer to prepared pan and bake, 55 to 60 minutes, or until deep brown around edges and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 1 hour or wire rack: remove from pan and cool completely.

5. To make glaze: Whisk together confectioners sugar and 1 Tbls juice in a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tsp juice until a thick, but pourable consistency is reached. Place foil beneath wire rack and drizzle glaze over loaf.

Coming Tomorrow- Peabody's Chocolate Malted Whopper Cupcakes (AMAZING)