Week Seventeen -- Gingerbread

Bang!'s Gingerbread
Courtesy of Bang! Restaurant
















This cake refrigerates and freezes well, and is best served reheated for a few seconds in the microwave oven.

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup dark molasses
• 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
• zest of 1 lemon
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter or oil a 9" x 13" cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal.

Bring water and baking soda to a boil. Take off heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine minced ginger, lemon zest, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add molasses and continue creaming until light in color.

Add flour mixture and water and soda mixture, alternately, in three parts. Mix well between additions.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between additions. Scrape bowl and mix well for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into greased, lined cake pan. Batter should come up to the halfway point in the pan. Spread evenly. Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool for 30 minutes in the pan. Slice into squares and serve warm with lightly sweetened, fresh whipped cream. Who are we kidding? Just gobble it up. (My sister likes her's with some chocolate bits melted on top. I favor a schmear of Nutella.)