Gingerbread Recipe

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Gingerbread

This is an annual treat for me, and I think every year I say I will make it more than once, and then there are other ideas and I forget. This time! This time I shall do it again… perhaps with apricot preserves instead of the applesauce, but I must remember to reduce the brown sugar if I do it that way. I prefer a less-sweet dessert. 

Makes a lovely moist cake, and will easily serve 8-10 for dessert. Can be served warm with apple butter smeared on a slice, and some whipped cream, for sheer indulgence. Peaches pair well with gingerbread as well.

Begin by heating your oven to 325F 

Grease and flour a pan – a bundt cake pan will work here, for the photographed gingerbread I’d baked it in a 7” springform pan. 

 

Cream together, then beat until fluffy once all ingredients are incorporated: 

  • 1/2 c molasses
  • 5 tbsp lard
  • 1/2 c dark brown sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp ground ginger

 

Sift together: 

  • 2 c flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda

 

Add flour alternating with: 

  • 1/4 c water
  • 1/2 c applesauce (homemade is best here!)

 

As soon as the batter comes together, stop mixing. Pour into the greased and floured pan. 

 

Bake until a tester comes out clean. For the deep 7” pan, this took almost an hour. For a bundt pan it will take less time, more like 40 minutes. 

 

Remove from the pan and allow to cool for a bit, but not too long, as it’s best warm. Still good cold, though, and the next morning with coffee it’s pretty darn good still!