Traditional Gingerbread

Traditional gingerbread is made with spices—most notably, ginger—and molasses. It’s the ginger and molasses that are the most pronounced. Cut back on the ginger and use a light molasses for a mildly-flavored cake that even the kids will adore.

Top the gingerbread with sweetened whipped cream or a sauce of your choosing. (Check out the recipes for the sauces.)

This cake can be made in a rectangular pan or a round springform pan. The gingerbread shown was made in a ten-inch springform pan with a glass base. (Learn more about these springform pans.)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup molasses

1 cup buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1. Grease a 10-inch springform pan or a 9 x 9-inch square pan.
2. Mix the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter with the brown sugar. Add the egg and beat until light and airy. Add the molasses.
4. Starting with the flour mixture, add the flour and buttermilk to the creamed mixture in three or four additions beating just until combined with the mixer on lowest speed. Do not over mix.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until done. The top should spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick or skewer should come out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.
6. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan on a rack. Serve with sweetened whipped cream or a sauce of your choosing.

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