This simple gingerbread cake comes together quickly and is such a comfortable recipe. The flavors are familiar but the whole cake tastes a little exotic, reminiscent of dark medieval halls and tales told around a stone fireplace on a cold night. It's perfect for our darkest days of the year. Gingerbread keeps well and is versatile - I've made it many, many times for dinners both festive and hurried. Serve warm with applesauce and whipped cream, and you'll get to enjoy a fantastic contrast of spices and temperatures.

If you want to make this basic cake fancier, cut a paper snowflake and use that as a stencil for a dusting of powdered sugar. The cake will look so gorgeous but will remain humble. Eat it up on a dark night, perhaps in front of your own fire with your own stories of other days and other times.

8 tbls. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg
2/3 c. milk
2/3 c. molasses
1/4 c. sugar
2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Use an 8x8 square pan or a 9 inch round cake pan.

  1. Set the butter out to soften.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F.
  3. Grease and flour the pan of your choice.
  4. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices together in a bowl and set aside.
  5. With an electric mixer on medium, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
  6. Add in the molasses and beat until incorporated, scraping the sides when needed.
  7. Add the egg and beat again briefly.
  8. Add the flour mixture, then the milk, mixing and scraping gently until combined.
  9. Spread the batter out evenly in the pan and bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes. A toothpick check in the center should come out clean.

For quick, appliance free whipped cream, approximate amounts or add about 1/2 c. cream, 3 tsp. sugar, 1/4 tsp. vanilla to a pint jar with a tight lid. Have an energetic person shake this for about 5 minutes until it is thickened.