Gingerbread

I was talking to my sister on the phone yesterday but she had to go because her cake was ready to come out of the oven and I thought "Yes - I need cake too!".  Unfortunately what I wanted was gingerbread and ice cream and I didn't have all the ingredients to make it.  Feeling too lazy after work to go grocery shopping, my cake craving had to wait til today to be satisfied.

Anyone who knows me well, knows I would really rather cook than bake.  But sometimes, you just have to have cake so I have few really simple recipes that are my standbys.  This gingerbread is one - it is dark and delicious and very gingery!!

1/2 cup molasses
1 cup white sugar
1/2 butter or margarine
1/2 cup hot water
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tsp greshly grated ginger
1 beaten egg



Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Prepare a 9 inch square pan - spray with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.  In a medium saucepan, gently heat the molasses, sugar, water and butter (or margarine). Once the butter melts, take it off the heat and let it cool a little.  Grate the fresh ginger into the pot.  The recipe calls for 2 teaspoons but I love ginger and I always add a tablespoon.

In a bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and freshly grated nutmeg.  Then stir the molasses mixture into the flour.

Beat the egg into a small bowl and temper it so you don't  get scrambled eggs!  I add a little bit of the batter to egg and then stir the egg into the batter.  Pour this batter into your prepared pan.  Bake at 300 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. 

Cut the gingerbread into 9 squares and serve with ice cream, whipped cream, fresh fruit or a sprinkling of icing sugar.  Enjoy!