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Fresh Ginger Cake

YIELD 12 servings
TIME 1 1/2 hours

My dear friend made her mother’s ginger cake and served it to us around her fire with a good deal of whipped cream. It was sublime. I ate seconds. I rarely have seconds of dessert. It’s not too sweet and boldly spiced with lots of fresh and dried ginger. It’s also incredibly simple, coming together without a mixer.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup Honoré Hourani flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tbls freshly grated ginger, finely grated
1/4 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup hot water

METHOD

  1. Butter an 8 x 8 glass pan or a 9 inch cast iron skillet.

  2. Preheat oven to 350.

  3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and dried spices in a bowl.

  4. Add to the flour mixture fresh ginger grated on a microplane or using the smallest holes of a box grater.

  5. Add finely chopped crystallized ginger to flour mixture, toss with your hands.

  6. Melt and cool butter slightly.

  7. In a separate bowl, using a spoon, mix egg, cooled butter, molasses, sugar and hot water.

  8. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.

  9. Pour into prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

  10. Serve warm with a great deal of whipped cream.