Description
The original 1800s recipe from “An Army Wife’s Cookbook” by Alice Kirk Grierson made two 8-inch gingerbread cakes. I reduced the measurements below to bake up a single-layer gingerbread cake. I didn’t need two cakes, and I didn’t think most of you would, either.
To make sour milk, add 3/4 Tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar to 3/4 cup milk. Stir to combine, then let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes before using it. Substituting in sour cream would affect the texture since sour cream is thicker than buttermilk and sour milk.
Molasses is a pain to measure — unless you spray the inside of a glass measuring cup with Pam for Baking or Baker’s Joy. Then carefully pour in your molasses. Use this trick the next time you measure honey, too. I have more tips on how to bake cake.
Ingredients
1/2 Cup Butter, Softened
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Large Egg
3/4 Cup Molasses (Not Robust)
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
3/4 Cup Buttermilk or Sour Milk
Instructions
375* oven.
Grease an 8″ cake pan with Baker’s Joy with Flour or Pam for Baking. Set to the side.
Cream Butter and Sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (or by hand).
Mix together the Baking Soda and the Molasses until the Molasses foams a little. No need for a second bowl. Just put the baking soda into the measuring cup.
Briefly mix together the Ginger and Flour.
Beginning with the Flour, mix in the Flour and Ginger mixture alternating with the Sour Milk.
Pour the gingerbread cake batter into the greased 8″ baking pan and bake at 375* for 20 to 25 minutes or until done. It will bounce back when you press the center lightly. It should look like something you’d want to eat. A tester near the center will come out clean.
Let the cake cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a nice cake plate.
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert
- Cuisine: American