A favorite sentimental recipe and why...

M

melissa-dallas

Well-known member
Sharon and I became best friends in the fifth grade, and over the years I also became very close to her mother, Margaret. 35 years have since passed and though Sharon & I would occasionally lose touch, I always talked to Margaret at least once a year, and also made this, her recipe for gingerbread each autumn. I made it the first time at her house when I was ten with my friend. Over the years one co-worker would always ask me about the first time we got some chilly weather, "Isn't it about time you made some molasses bread"? It would always remind me of Margaret, and I would call her and tell her I'd made her gingerbread. Margaret died last month. I can hardly wait for late October to make this and remember her. This recipe is truly good, more spicy than most, and wonderful warm with butter. If you make 1 1/2 times the recipe you can make a 13x9 pan and not have to measure the molasses too! Just use the entire 12 oz. jar.

Margaret's Hot Water Gingerbread

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup molasses

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. ginger

1 tablespoon allspice

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup boiling water

Grease 9x9 pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, then molasses. Stir together dry ingredients, then mix into butter mixture. Slowly beat in the water. Batter will be fairly thin. Pour in pan and bake 30 -45 minutes until cake tester comes out clean and cake begins to pull from sides of pan. (I'm not very accurate on baking time because I don't have a 9x9 pan & make it in a different size, so I'm just guessing)

 
Melissa Dallas, Thank you for sharing the recipe and the story of your friend. Lovely!

 
Thanks. I'm going to try to think of the happy memories when I make it, but I'll probably cry

knowing I can't call and talk to her and tell her I made it.

 
Melissa; I was cold all day yesterday and it was pouring out...so I took your recipe to the store..

I thought it sounded like the perfect and cozy thing to go home and make for DH who has a "thing" for gingerbread. I used an 8-inch square steel pan and it came out PERFECT at 35 minutes in my GAS oven. Seriously wonderful texture ~ and very moist!! Now my question is: what kind of molasses do you use? I bought the dark "full-flavored" Brer Rabbit. We both loved the cake, but DH thought he'd like it better with a bit lighter molasses. He's not used to the dark one. Please advise and thanks. I'm keeping this recipe! (The kitchen smelled heavenly).

 
I use Grandma's molasses and I think it is a little lighter in flavor than

Brer Rabbit. It is good isn't it? And you're right-my house is small and it make my whole house smell heavenly. So glad you enjoyed it.

 
what a wonderful way to remember a dear friend. why not make it before Oct, just for the snug...

 
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