Ginger Spice Cake with Dried Cherries

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 6 ounces cherries dried finely chopped
• 0.5 cup candied ginger finely chopped
• 0.5 cup t brown sugar dark packed ()
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard 
• 3 large eggs 
• 2.5 cups flour all-purpose plus more for pan
• 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated peeled
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger 
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 1 cup blackstrap molasses light ()
• 1 cup strong coffee decoction hot
• 0.5 cup butter unsalted plus more for pan room temperature (1 stick)

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• kugelhopf pan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter Bundt pan.Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess.
2. Combine cherries, crystallized ginger,grated ginger, and Dijon mustard in amedium bowl.
3. Pour espresso over cherrymixture and set aside.
4. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour,ground ginger, baking soda, salt, allspice,cinnamon, and pepper in a large bowl.
5. Using an electric mixer on mediumspeed, beat 1/2 cup butter in a large bowluntil light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
6. Addbrown sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Beat ineggs one at a time, then beat in molasses.
7. Strain cherry mixture into a smallbowl, reserving soaking liquid.
8. Add dryingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions,alternately with soaking liquid in 2 additions,beating to blend between additions. Fold indrained cherry mixture. Scrape batter intoprepared pan.
9. Bake until top of cake springs back whenlightly pressed in the middle, about 1 hour.
10. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. DO AHEAD:Can be made 2 days ahead. Store airtight atroom temperature.
11. Remove cake from pan. Spoon Luscious
12. Chocolate Icing over cake, if using, allowingit to drip down sides.
13. Cut cake into wedgesto serve.