Grandmother's Gingerbread

Friday 9 June 2017

Grandmother's Gingerbread





We are great lovers of Gingerbread in this house.  There is something about a gingerbread baking in the oven that just gets my tastebuds to tingling.  


If we were Hansel and Gretel we would be gonners, because we'd be nibble-nibble-nibbling at that old witches house non-stop!

Grandmother's Gingerbread






I have quite a few recipes for gingerbread that I really like.  All are my favourites for a variety of reasons.  


Some because they are super gingery . . .  some because they are super easy . . .  some because they are super moist . . . I love this one for ALL of those reasons!

Grandmother's Gingerbread





There is nothing fancy about it.  It's just a simple recipe.  You beat together some butter and sugar, beat in an egg and molasses.  


The original recipe didn't call for it, but I have added vanilla and lemon extracts because I have found through the years that they enhance the warm spice flavours of a good gingerbread.



Grandmother's Gingerbread





You stir dry ingredients into wet and then you beat in a cup of hot water that you have dissolved some baking soda in and pour it into the pan. 


 Older recipes like this usually called for dissolving the soda in hot water.  I am not sure why that is.

 

Grandmother's Gingerbread





My guess is so that the activation, or bubbling action starts sooner. But I am not an expert on these things.  


Another guess would be that it helps the baking soda to really get mixed into the batter evenly, and if you have ever bitten into a cookie or a cake and bitten into a lump of soda, you know that is a yukky yukky thing to have happen to you!

Grandmother's Gingerbread

  



This cake cooks in a very short period of time. It takes about half an hour and makes a lovely large cake.  


The smell when it is baking is amazing.  Warm and spicy and home sweet homeish.



Grandmother's Gingerbread





No frosting is needed . . .  its fabulous just as it is, but we can never resist splitting warm slabs of the cake and buttering them.  



SOOOOOOOOO delicious that way!  (I know we are very naughty!) Of course a scoop of vanilla ice cream sitting on top of a warm slab is also a very tasty way to enjoy!



Grandmother's Gingerbread







*Grandmother's Gingerbread*
Makes one 9 by 13 inch cake
This is an old, old recipe for a moist and delicious and spicy gingerbread. We like to eat it warm, cut into squares and spread with butter. 

125g butter, softened (1/2 cup)
95g sugar (1/2 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten
225ml molasses (1 cup)
350g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
225ml hot water




Grandmother's Gingerbread





Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9 by 13 inch non-stick baking tin really well.  Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, salt, cloves, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom.  Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl.  Beat in the egg.  Beat the egg, molasses and extracts together.  Stir this into the dry ingredients.  Stir the soda into the hot water to dissolve and stir this into the batter, mixing in until smooth.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until risen and the top springs back when lightly touched.  The top will look sticky and shiny.  Leave to cool in the pan.  Serve warm with butter, if desired.



Grandmother's Gingerbread





There is no time like the present to bake this simple and easy cake.  You will thank me for it afterwards.  And your family will be thanking you.  Thanks Grandmother!  Bon Appetit!

NOTE - Don't be tempted to use dark treacle in this. It is a lot stronger than molasses.  If you must because you cannot get molasses use a mix of dark treacle and golden syrup.

13 comments

  1. Will definitely be trying this-ginger and treacle lovely!

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    Replies
    1. Don't be tempted to use dark treacle Jay. If you cannot get molasses which is quite a bit milder than dark treacle use, a mix of equal parts of golden syrup and dark treacle! You will enjoy I am sure! xo

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  2. This looks so moist and delicious! Glad to see someone making gingerbread outside of Christmas time too!

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    Replies
    1. This is very moist and delicious Kelly. We love gingerbread so much in this house that we eat it all year round! xo

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  3. I love pumpkin so much that I make pumpkin pies and pumpkin bread all yr long. I don't believe in waiting a whole yr to eat something that u love, bc life is too short and it.doesn't.stand.still. lol. xo

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  4. I too love Gingerbread,and I LOVE the story that goes with this as well, I am going to make it this weekend, both are heartwarming xx

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  5. I hope you really enjoy it Karrie! I love to tell stories. I am always running off at the mouth! xoxo

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  6. Great looking gingerbread! It looks to be similar to a smaller-pan recipe I've used for many years. I like it warm with butter, or cold with soft butter, or with a big mound of whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla, or plain! I wanted to print your recipe to try it, but can't find a way to do that. Oh well, I'll come back when I'm ready to bake and view this page as I make it. It's THE perfect December treat, especially!

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  7. Duh! Found the print function. Obviously got so carried away by the ginger sensory fantasy overload that I'd gone momentarily blind!

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    Replies
    1. You are right Katwyn! It is the perfect December treat! Happy you were able to discover the print recipe function! Hope you enjoy this! xoxo

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  8. Tasty. I didn't have enough molasses do I substituted agave syrup for about half. It worked well.

    Julia

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    Replies
    1. I am so happy it was enjoyed Julia and also to learn that you can sub agave for some of the molasses! Thank you so much for sharing! xo

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