Aunt II, Aunt Kate, Uncle Jim, Aunt Ann, Aunt Shelia, Grandpa
Grandpa's birthday cake!
Yeah, this was probably the only think my dad would like in Aunt Katie's cookbook. He loves gingerbread! We used to make it for his birthday (out of a box, naturally), and we would color the whipped cream with food coloring to make it Notre Dame themed.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c all-purpose flour (sifted if you have the patience)
- 1 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp each cloves, nutmeg, & salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 c brown sugar, packed (or less if you prefer less sweetness)
- 3/4 c molasses
- 3/4 melted shortening (yeah, they're making in with no trans fats today, but I'm gonna try olive oil)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 c boiling water
- OPTIONAL (sort of... really quite essential): heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- 1-2 smaller bowls
- Electric mixer
- 9x9 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Whisk and/or sifter
- Sturdy mixing spoon
Instructions
- Grease your pan. Line bottom with parchment and greast that also. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Sift or whisk flour in medium bowl. Add ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, & baking powder and whisk/sift togehter.
- In large bowl, beat eggs. Add sugar, molasses, and oil (shortening) and mix again until creamy.
- Now with spoon, stir in half the flour mixture. Once blended, add the rest of the flour mixture and stir again until very well mixed.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and then add to the mix and grab the electric mixer again. Beat until smooth.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, and then... Aunt Kate recommends turning it out, upside down onto a cooling rack and remove the paper. Then you can turn in right side up onto a serving plate. Serve warm, plain or with fresh whipped cream.
Note: To make whip cream, just beat together 1 cup heavy cream (or it might be labeled whipping cream), 2 Tbls sugar, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. The only trick is to STOP beating when it starts to have shape or to form peaks but BEFORE it beccomes butter.
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