Gingerbread for Christmas

One of my SILs had the smart question of if you make Gingerbread bread do you call it that or just Gingerbread? Thoughts everyone?

This recipe is for a Gingerbread cake which was my suggested item to bring to our "Charles Dickens" themed Christmas dinner that my god-mother hosted this past Christmas. It was a wonderful evening and this cake was delicious. I think the vanilla sauce was definitely needed and I wouldn't make this without it as it makes it more dessert like.

Ummm also is it really NEW YEARS EVE? 

Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake from Kitchen Trials

Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake from Kitchen Trials

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup applesauce
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot water

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350℉ with a rack in the middle position. Grease and flour a 9" square baking pan.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then beat in the molasses and apple sauce.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Mix into the molasses mixture. Stir in the hot water.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Vanilla Sauce from Tastebook.com

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• Pinch of salt
• Mix dry ingredients in sauce pan. Stir in:
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cook on low heat, stirring with whisk constantly for 5-10 minutes. Serve HOT over Gingerbread Cake.

***I made my gingerbread cake in a bundt pan which I thought worked out great.