Favorite Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Old-fashioned gingerbread is everyone's holiday favorite. This recipe is so easy to make and probably very similar to the one your great-grandmother used to make. This moist and lightly spiced gingerbread cake can be served with a dusting of powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If you prefer a gingerbread with more spice, just double or triple the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 375 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup white sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup molasses (not blackstrap)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

Step 2

Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, then mix in molasses until smooth.

Step 3

Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt into a large bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Mix in water until smooth. Pour cake batter into the prepared pan.

Step 4

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake; it should come out clean. If it does, remove cake from the oven; if not, bake 15 to 30 more minutes, checking often for doneness.

Step 5

Allow gingerbread to cool in the pan before serving.