Prune Armagnac Gingerbread

• 1 x cocoa powder
• 1 cup prunes pitted, chopped
• 1/2 cup armagnac
• 1 tablespoon ginger root minced
• 3 cups flour, all-purpose
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ginger ground
• 1 teaspoon cloves ground
• 18 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar light, firmly packed
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup coffee brewed strong
• 4 large eggs lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup crystallized ginger (candied) chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
2. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and dust with cocoa powder, knocking out excess.
3. In a skillet cook prunes, Armagnac or cognac, and gingerroot over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until almost all liquid is evaporated and remove skillet from heat.
4. Into a bowl sift flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
5. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream shortening.
6. Add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
7. Add molasses in a stream, beating until combined well.
8. Add flour mixture, coffee, eggs, and vanilla, beating until just combined.
9. Reserve 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger and stir remainder into batter with prune mixture.
10. Turn batter into prepared pan and sprinkle with reserves giner.
11. Bake gingerbread in oven 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean, and cool on a rack 1 hour.
12. Gingerbread may be made 2 days ahead and kept covered at room temperature.
13. Garnish gingerbread with kumquats and serve warm or at room temperature with creme fraiche or sour cream.

cocoa powder, prunes pitted, armagnac, ginger root, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger ground, cloves ground, cayenne pepper, salt, vegetable shortening, brown sugar, molasses, coffee, eggs, vanilla, ginger

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/prune-armagnac-gingerbread-42268 (may not work)