Recipe
Victorian Molasses Gingerbread
A dark, sticky gingerbread from nineteenth-century household books: molasses, spice, and a soft crumb that keeps well in the tin.
Context
Dark gingerbread was everyday baking long before it became a holiday treat.
Molasses (or treacle in Britain) sweetened cakes when white sugar was dear. Ginger, cinnamon, and cloves masked a plainer crumb and helped the cake keep. Victorian manuals often baked it in a shallow tin and served it plain or with butter. This modern version keeps the spice and molasses character with clear oven temperatures and measures.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup butter or shortening
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup molasses
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup hot water
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8- or 9-inch square pan.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
- Cream butter and brown sugar. Beat in molasses and egg.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water until smooth.
- Pour into the pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool before cutting.