Gingerbread Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes        Baking Time: 35 minutes
Number of Servings:  Makes 1 – 9 inch round cake – 6 servings

Ingredients:

225 g (1 ½ cups) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground ginger
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) ground cloves
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) allspice or Chinese 5-Spice
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) baking soda
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) salt

115 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
70 g (1/3 cup hard-packed) dark brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
½ cup (125 mL) Crosby’s ^[1] molasses (Cooking Molasses or Fancy Molasses) – or ¼ cup of each

½ cup (125 mL) buttermilk

Method:

1. Prepare a 9 – inch round cake pan by lightly buttering or spraying with a vegetable oil spray. Dust with flour. Preheat oven to 350^oF (180^oC).
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream (with an electric mixer) together butter and brown sugar using medium speed. Beat until light. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses; beat until well incorporated and smooth.
4. Add flour-spice mixture and buttermilk, alternatively, to butter mixture – beginning and ending with the flour-spice mixture. Beat well after each addition.
5. Pour batter into pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes – or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan.
6. Serve warm with warm Lemon Sauce.

Lemon Sauce:

3/4 cup (85 mL) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon (1.5 mL) salt
2 tablespoons (30 mL) cornstarch

1 cup (250 mL) water
3 tablespoons (45 mL) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 mL) lemon zest (zest from one lemon)

1 tablespoon (15 mL) unsalted butter

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch.  Slowly stir in water, fresh lemon juice and zest.  Cook, over low-medium heat, till thickened and bubbly. Stir constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter.   Serve warm.