Valentine’s Gingerbread Cake

Here is a nice accompaniment to your Valentine’s dinner for your sweetie.

Lightly spiced, and aromatic and not too sweet. This cake is actually quite versatile, use your imagination and serve it with your main course, yes it goes well with pork and applesauce.

As a dessert you can top it with a caramel applesauce, ice cream or whipped cream or lemon curd as shown here.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger or 2 teaspoons ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup fancy molasses

1 cup milk

Directions:

For best results, butter, eggs and milk should be at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F

Butter and flour a baking pan. An 8 inch square pan with 2 inch sides works best.

Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, lemon zest, and fresh ginger and set aside.

Beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add the molasses and beat to thoroughly combine.

Add the dry ingredients alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated, do not overbeat. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool slightly on a wire rack. Lightly dust with icing sugar if desired.

Serve warm by itself or with your favourite topping.

Enjoy!

~ Tracy

This Foodie Friday brought to you by Heartland Cafe a great place for delicious food right here in Olde Towne Okotoks.