Moist Tender Spice Cake

Another recipe from USA Today supplement to our local newspaper found in Moms Grey Book. This is from Pam Anderson, and was in combination with the Sausage and White Bean Soup and Savory Corn Muffins...so assume it would be great to add this to the meal

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 16 slices

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups  bleached all purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 4  teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  cup milk
• 3  large eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2  cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2  cups dark brown sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle positon and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9 by 13 inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2 cup measuring cup.
2. Beat softened butter into dry ingredients first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble sized pieces. Add about 1/2 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages, beat on medium speed until bater is smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack, let cool.
4. *** Picnic Tip: Can be double wrapped in plastic a day ahead. Return to pan to transport. Also the batter can be divided and baked into two 8" square cake pans. Take one to picnic and freeze one for later.
5. *** Gingerbread Variation - To Turn Cake into Gingerbread:.
6. * reduce baking powder to 1 tsp; add 1 tsp baking soda.
7. * Reduce brown sugar to 1 cup add 1 cup molasses.
8. * for spices, use 1 tbls ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground allspice (omit nutmeg and cloves).