Name: Gingerbread
Yield: One 9-inch square, about 9 servings
Ingredients: 2½ cups all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons baking soda; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted; ½ cup packed dark brown sugar; ¾ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap — it's too bitter); 2 large eggs; 1 cup hot water; 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional — for extra ginger punch); Powdered sugar, for dusting; Whipped cream, for serving

Gingerbread

Soft, deeply spiced gingerbread — the cake kind, not the cookie kind — is one of winter's most underrated desserts. It's dark, sticky, fragrant with ginger and molasses, and almost better the next day when the spices have settled into the crumb. Serve it warm with whipped cream, or cold with a cup o

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
¾ cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap — it's too bitter)
2 large eggs
1 cup hot water
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (optional — for extra ginger punch)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Whipped cream, for serving

Method

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan, or line with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the molasses and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, alternating with the hot water, beginning and ending with flour. Stir in the fresh grated ginger if using. The batter will be thin — that's correct.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when gently pressed.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar and a generous mound of whipped cream. Or let cool completely and enjoy at room temperature.
*Storage:** Wrapped tightly, gingerbread keeps at room temperature for 4 days. It's actually moister and more flavorful on day two. Refrigerate for a week or freeze for 3 months.
*Seasonal note:** The hot water in the batter is what gives this gingerbread its incredibly moist, sticky texture. Don't skip it or substitute. Good molasses makes all the difference — look for unsulphured, full-flavored molasses (Grandma's or Brer Rabbit brands work well). The fresh ginger on top of the ground ginger creates a layered heat that's more interesting than either alone.