Favorite Gingerbread

  

Gingerbread...it's really not all that great, right? I mean c'mon, who has ever had a really good gingerbread?  Everybody knows that gingerbread cookies are the least tasty of all types of cookies.  And most gingerbread loaves are kind of dry and just average tasting.  Even the one at Starbucks isn't that good. 

That is what I thought before I made this gingerbread cake.

Now whenever I think of gingerbread, I think of this recipe.  It is the best gingerbread I have ever tasted.  Way better than Starbucks.  My dad and I ate nearly the entire loaf in one sitting - while putting chocolate sauce, ice cream, and whipped cream on the slices (oh yeah, we were stuffed).  It's so moist and full of flavor with spices.  I definitely recommend having it warm with these toppings, but it is delicious plain too.  It's also heavenly chilled or room temperature with cream cheese frosting.  I was planning on having a slice with orange cream cheese frosting once it cooled, but there wasn't enough left to make it for!  This is perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning as well.  And it makes great gifts during the holiday season.  This is everyone's holiday favorite...even the busy cooks (like me!) because it's so easy to make.

Yield: one 9-inch cake or one large loaf

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1 cup molasses
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch square pan or a loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and then the molasses.
3. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake 40-50 minutes in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.