Sugar High Friday - well almost!

This month's theme for Sugar High Friday is PUDDINGS! Upon discovering I could make it under the wire for it, I whipped up a little something I found in a recent Bon Appetit. Fall and winter always bring on a yearning for the warm spices – ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg. My family has always been partial to gingerbread, even my son, who tends to be a picky eater.

I think he began his enjoyment of gingerbread when I made muffins for breakfast one morning and he mistook them for chocolate. I like to use dark molasses so the muffins were really dark. He was surprised that the flavor wasn't what he expected but delighted it was a new one he liked even more! I also like to put cream cheese frosting on them even though that renders them a bit decadent for breakfast. So we eat them on Sundays and call them special. Sadly the child hasn't formed a liking for cream cheese quite yet - he gets to eat his plain while his poor ol' parents have to deal with a little decadence!

When perusing the December issue of Bon Appetit I found a recipe requested by a reader for Gingerbread Pudding Cake. The original was made at the Beach House at Purdy which is no longer around. I was intrigued – Gingerbread in a pudding cake form?!? How could I resist?

I happily whipped it up and was to delighted to get a delicate cakey top with a syrupy, oozy, gooey bottom. I served it warm with a little whipped cream but I’m envisioning making a little cheesecake ice cream to go with it next time.

Gingerbread Pudding Cake
Serves 8

1 ¼ c flour
1 tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
¼ c unsalted butter at room temp
¼ c sugar
2 T beaten egg (from 1 egg)
½ c molasses
½ c water
¾ c packed brown sugar
1 ½ c hot water
5 T unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and 8x8 baking pan. Whisk flour, baking soda, spices, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl beat ¼ c butter and ¼ c sugar until blended. Beat in the egg. Stir molasses and ½ c water in a glass measuring cup. In the cake method, add flour mixture alternating with the molasses mixture to the beaten sugar and butter. Pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the brown sugar.

Stir the hot water and melted butter together in another glass measuring cup. Carefully pour this over the cake (this will be the saucy goodness after it bakes). Bake for about 45 minutes. The cake will be cracked on top and a pick should come out clean. Serve warm.