Favorite Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Ingredients

• 0.5 cups unsalted butter , softened
• 0.5 cups white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup molasses , not blackstrap
• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cloves
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup hot water

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.

2. 2

   Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. 3

   Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, then mix in molasses until smooth.

4. 4

   Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt into a large bowl.

5. 5

   Gradually add dry ingredients to the molasses mixture, mixing after each addition until incorporated. Mix in water until smooth.

6. 6

   Pour cake batter into the prepared pan.

7. 7

   Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake; it should come out clean. If it does, remove cake from the oven; if not, bake 15 to 30 more minutes, checking often for doneness.

8. 8

   Allow gingerbread to cool in the pan before serving.