Moist, spicy gingerbread is one of those simple desserts that people tend to associate fondly with childhood holidays. For me, it harks back to the Christmas seasons that I spent as a kid in Europe where gingerbread is particularly popular. Blending a mixture of baking soda and boiling water into molasses has a magical transforming effect in the oven. The light brown batter becomes very dark, rich, and deeply flavored when baked. Fragrant with warm, fresh ginger, this gingerbread is very moist, simple to make, and irresistible. Lime Cream is an unexpected—but perfect—partner. The recipe makes enough cream for one gingerbread cake. Any leftover cream is delicious slathered over toasted pound cake, buttermilk biscuits, or brioche. Don’t reserve this recipe just for holiday baking—it will make your family sublimely happy all year long.

　　

Ingredients

makes 12 servings

　　1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, plus more for buttering the pan

　　1 cup sugar

　　3 eggs

　　2 cups flour

　　1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1 teaspoon ground cloves

　　2 teaspoons baking soda

　　1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)

　　1 cup unsulfured molasses

　　2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water

　　Lime Cream

　　

Lime Cream

2 eggs

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　1/3 cup fresh lime juice

　　Zest of 1 lime, grated (about 1 tablespoon)

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into small pieces

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

　　

Step 2

Melt the stick of butter, pour into a large bowl, and allow it to cool slightly. Beat the sugar and eggs into the butter. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and grated ginger.

　　

Step 3

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the molasses and soda solution into the water. Whisk the dry ingredients into the sugar and eggs, then stir in the molasses mixture.

　　

Step 4

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, testing for doneness with a wooden toothpick in the center of the cake (it should pull out clean and free of batter). Another indicator is that the cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when it’s done. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake, and invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with Lime Cream.

　　

Lime Cream

Step 5

In the bowl of an electric mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip the eggs and sugar at high speed until double in volume and light in color. Lower the speed and blend in the lime juice and zest.

　　

Step 6

Pour the egg mixture into a medium metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water (or a double boiler). Cook over high heat, whisking often, until smooth, very thick, and custardlike (about 20 minutes). Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until it is fully incorporated. If the final mixture is lumpy, strain through a fine sieve. Otherwise, cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 7

Using an electric mixer or a wire whisk, whip the heavy cream into soft peaks. Gently fold a fourth of the whipped cream into the lime curd. Then fold in the remaining whipped cream.

　　Cooks' Note

　　If you don’t have time to make the lime cream, no one is going to complain if you serve this cake with whipped cream sweetened with brown sugar and a couple of tablespoons of bourbon.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.