Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

An original recipe by Barbara Pugliese that I have slightly adapted, Fine Cooking, issue #23.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour (not generous)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1⁄4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1  pinch salt
• 2 1⁄2 ounces butter, softened at room temperature
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  large egg
• 3⁄4 cup dark molasses
• 3⁄4 cup cold water
• 1⁄3 cup  minced crystallized ginger (or candied)

• For the whipped cream

• 1  cup heavy cream (not ultrapasteurized, if possible)
• 1⁄4 cup maple syrup (or an equal amount of the syrup from candied ginger)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F Butter an 8x8-inch cake pan. Sift together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt onto a sheet of waxed paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until light and creamy. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pour in the molasses in a slow, steady stream, beating all the while. Add half of the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until well combined. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Slowly pour in the cold water and stir until well incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minute Let cool in the pan about 1 hour before serving.
4. Beat the cream until thickened. Slowly pour in the syrup and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Cut the cake into squares; serve with the whipped cream.