Gingerbread Cake With Brown Sugar Sauce

A delightful discovery I made in my Company's Coming 'Lunches' cookbook. The original recipe includes a lemon sauce, but we prefer brown sugar sauce with a generous dollop of whipped cream rather. Or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Mmm, and the smell... **Update Aug '09: Forget brown sugar sauce! Make a double recipe as a sheet cake (bake for only 20 minutes @ 325) with a double recipe of Caramel Cream Frosting! I don't know why I haven't updated this sooner -- I've been making it this way for at least the last 2 years already!!

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 9

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1  large egg
• 1⁄2 cup canola oil
• 1⁄2 cup molasses
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup boiling water
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

• Brown Sugar Sauce

• 1  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  cups water
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. For cake: Beat egg in mixing bowl until frothy. Beat in cooking oil and molasses.
2. Add sugar, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and salt. Beat slowly to combine.
3. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water and add to batter. Slowly mix in flour.
4. Turn into greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Bake at 350°F for about 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Serve warm with brown sugar sauce. (Freezes well).
6. For sauce: Mix brown sugar, flour and salt together well in medium saucepan. (This enables water to be mixed in with no lumps).
7. Stir in water and vanilla. Heat, stirring, over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens (makes about 2 1/2 cups). Serve warm.