Total Time1 hour

Rating5(894)CommentsRead comments

This gingerbread, from the chefs Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock, is just wonderful: a little spicy, a little sweet, very simple to make, and absolutely delicious. Whipped cream is an easy topping, although dulce de leche or another warm, caramel-y sauce takes it to a special place. But it’s also kind of nice plain, wrapped in waxed paper and tucked inside someone’s lunch. —Kim Severson

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Yield:6 to 8 servings

• ½cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, more for pan
• 2cups all-purpose flour, more for pan
• ¼teaspoon baking soda
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• ½teaspoon ground ginger
• 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½teaspoon salt
• 2eggs
• 1½cups dark molasses
• Freshly whipped cream, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

429 calories; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 72 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 47 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 290 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour an 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking pan. Sift flour, baking soda and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Blend in spices and salt with a wire whisk. 1.

Step 2

In a small pan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Melt ½ cup butter in it, then whisk water into flour mixture. Beat eggs and add to mixture, along with molasses. Whisk until well blended. Pour into pan. 1.

Step 3

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a skewer plunged into center comes out with no trace of raw batter. Interior will be moist. Serve warm with freshly whipped cream.

Tip

• This cake is also delicious the day after it is baked. The spices meld and the texture gets even more like a steamed pudding.

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5 out of 5

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This recipe got mangled in the adaption from the version in the cookbook, "The Gift of Southern Cooking" by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock, from which it was taken.

The original is largely similar, BUT it calls for the following spices:

½ teaspoon ground cloves (omitted from the NYT version) 1 tablespoon ground ginger (cut to ½ teaspoon in the NYT version) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I suspect that the changes from the original recipe would produce a rather bland gingerbread.

BTW, a 12-ounce jar of Grandma’s Unsulphured Original Molasses contains exactly 1½ cups of the stuff.

Okay, just made as dessert with Sifton’s chicken paprikash. I wish I were a food scientist to understand why this cake was so light and absolutely delicious. One I will forever make. My amendments: instinct told me 1.5 c molasses would be too much, too wet. I used 1 c. Also, I followed the original spicing – the full amt. of ginger, which this cake can take + cinnamon + clove. Outcome = cloudlike perfection! It is worth picking up Lewis/Peacock cookbook, subtle stunners throughout.

Instead of flouring your pan after you’ve greased it, try sprinkling it or “flouring it “with unsweetened cocoa powder for an additional depth of flavor.

You had better really like molasses and ginger. If you do this cake is perfect for you. I just saw that the original recipe calls for clove and more ginger so I will make it that way next time.

A friend brought this to our St. Patrick’s Day gathering, and it was a huge hit. I might be tempted to add some chopped candied ginger to it, but the beauty of this cake is it’s simplicity, so I’m not sure I will. Be aware that with that much molasses, it definitely tastes molassesey, but I love molasses, so it was welcome.

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