Description
A moist and flavorful Gingerbread Cake that combines warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with rich molasses. Baked to perfection and served warm with fresh bananas, whipped cream, and a luscious vanilla cream sauce, this dessert is perfect for cozy gatherings and festive occasions.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup unsulphered molasses
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup very hot water
Toppings
- Bananas, sliced (for topping)
- Fresh whipped cream (for topping)
Vanilla Cream Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Cream Sugar and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until the mixture is smooth and light in texture, ensuring a fluffy base for the cake.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the egg followed by the molasses, mixing thoroughly to combine all wet ingredients evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, and salt.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring to combine. Slowly pour in the very hot water while continuing to stir until the batter is smooth. Note that the batter will be thin.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is properly baked.
- Prepare Vanilla Cream Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, and heavy cream. Cook while stirring occasionally until the butter melts.
- Boil Sauce: Bring the mixture to a boil, then boil for 3 to 5 minutes while stirring frequently to thicken the sauce.
- Finish Sauce: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the sauce to cool slightly before serving.
- Serve: Serve the warm gingerbread cake topped with fresh sliced bananas, whipped cream, and drizzle with the vanilla cream sauce for an indulgent dessert experience.
Notes
- The batter is thin; this is normal for this recipe.
- Check the cake at 20 minutes to avoid over-baking; oven temperatures may vary.
- Vanilla cream sauce can be prepared ahead and gently reheated before serving.
- For a stronger molasses flavor, use darker unsulphured molasses.
- Substitute fresh whipped cream with store-bought if desired for convenience.
