Gingerbread Cake

Favorite Gingerbread Cake*

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus extra for baking pan
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra baking pan
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt 
• 1 cup hot water
• Garnish: powdered sugar or fresh whipped cream (our favorite)

Instructions: Preheat  oven to 350 degrees and set a rack to the middle position. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan and set aside.

In the large bowl of a standing or handheld mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and continue beating. Add the molasses and beat well. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking soda, spices, and salt.  Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients; then add the hot water. Stir gently until the batter is just smooth. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool; then cut into squares and serve warm, topped with powdered sugar or fresh whipped cream. 

To make mini gingerbread Bundts: generously grease and flour a 6-cavity mini-Bundt pan. Prepare the batter as directed, and spoon into the prepared Bundt molds, about 3/4 full each, smoothing evenly on top (you may have a bit of batter leftover). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar or glaze if you like. 

 *(featured in Yankee Magazine, December 7, 2014)