Gingerbread Bundt Cake

For the syrup, heat:
½ c. each granulated sugar, water and minced fresh ginger. 

For the cake, whisk:
1 ½ c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. 2% milk
2/3 c. vegetable oil
½ c. molasses
½ c. sour cream 
3 eggs 

Sift:
2 ¼ c. AP flour
2 t. each baking powder and ground ginger
1 t. ground cinnamon
¾ t. freshly grated nutmeg
½ t. each ground allspice and salt
¼ t. baking soda
1/8 t. ground cloves
Pinch of ground cardamom 

For the whipped topping, whisk:
2 c. heavy cream 
2 T. granulated sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
Chopped crystallized ginger 

Bring syrup ingredients to a boil over medium high heat; reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain syrup, reserving the ginger.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and liberally spray a 10-15 c. Bundt pan with PAM and coat with turbinado sugar.

Whisk brown sugar, milk, oil, molasses, and reserved ginger. Whisk together eggs and sour cream; whisk into the other wet ingredients.

Sift together dry ingredients.; whisk into wet mixture in 3 to 4 increments. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan. Bake 1 hour  or until cake pulls away from the edges of the pan and tests done with a toothpick. Cool 45 minutes in pan. Poke cake all over with skewer or meat fork; drizzle ginger syrup all over the top. Invert cake onto a plate [tap pan to release, if necessary]; let cool completely.

Whip the cream to soft peaks; add sugar and vanilla. Whip to medium firm peaks. Top slices of cake with whipped cream and garnish with crystallized ginger.

 Chopped fresh ginger smells amazing.