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Mother's Ginger Cake
Mrs. C. E. Grummitt. 1 t ginger ½ t cinnamon 1/4 t nutmeg Pinch salt 2 T butter, or other shortening 1/2 C brown sugar 2 well beaten eggs Raisins to taste Mix above ingredients together in order given. Stir well and add 1 C boiling water 1 C molasses with 1 t baking powder, stirred in 2½ C 7 lour This makes a thin batter and must be baked in a slow oven about 45 minutes. 1 lb. box dates Juice of 1 orange Orange Date Filling 5 T sugar Cut dates in small pieces; add sugar and orange juice and cook slowly until creamy. Beat and spread between cake layers. Use any preferred icing to cover top of cake.
Mrs. V. Woods.
A molasses gingerbread of the boiling-water type, which produces a batter thin enough to pour and a very moist, dark crumb. The one thing to get right is the oven: a thin molasses batter scorches easily, so keep the heat low.
- Slow ovenBake at about 300-325F, the usual reading for a slow oven. A thin molasses batter tends to darken at the edges at higher heat, so the 45 minutes given suits the lower end of that range.
- Pan and yieldThe quantity suits one 8- or 9-inch square pan, greased and lined, giving 9 to 12 squares. The filling instruction assumes layers, so two 8-inch rounds are an alternative; check them well before the 45 minutes the recipe gives.
- LeaveningStirring the leavening into the molasses is the standard old trick, but molasses of this period was acidic enough to react with baking soda; modern recipes of this style call for about 1 teaspoon soda for 1 cup molasses. As written the recipe specifies baking powder, which will not exploit that acidity in the same way. The single teaspoon given is on the light side for 2 1/2 cups flour either way.
- Order of mixing"In order given" puts the spices, salt, butter, sugar and eggs together first; the boiling water and molasses go in next, then the flour last. Stir the flour in only until smooth, or the cake toughens.
- Boiling waterThe cup of boiling water is what makes this batter pourable and keeps the crumb damp for days. Do not reduce it because the batter looks too loose.
- MolassesUse unsulphured dark molasses rather than blackstrap, which is bitter. Light or "mild" molasses gives a paler, sweeter cake.
- Raisins"To taste" means roughly 1/2 to 1 cup. Toss them in a spoonful of the measured flour so they do not sink through the thin batter.
- The date fillingA pound of dates with orange juice and 5 tablespoons sugar makes a generous amount — enough for two or three layers. Cook it slowly and stir often; date paste catches on the pan bottom quickly.