Easy Gingerbread Cakes.

I love gingerbread. Generally I love all things involving any combination of molasses, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, ginger, and cardamom.

Every year I look foward to the arrival of Bahlsen christmas cookies. Prestogeorge Coffee in the Strip District usually has the best selection. Mon Aimee Chocolat also has a small selection this year. I'm extremely partial to the Contessas. My family has a history of going through Contessas like hotcakes. Sometimes we hide them from eachother.

I like this recipe because it's easy. I usually omit the blueberries or substitute chocolate chips. I also add about 1/4 tsp of cloves. Also, I never use an 11x7 pan; I use muffin tins or small cake pans and reduce the baking time.

The cake is soft and delivers Christmas flavors without bashing you over the head with them. It's a good solution for people who complain about too much molasses, too much ginger, etc.


Blueberry Gingerbread
from recipezaar.com

1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons molasses
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With mixer, beat together oil, 1 C sugar, salt and molasses.
Beat in egg.
Combine flour, spices and baking soda, dredge blueberries with 2 Tbsp of mixture.
Add remaining flour mixture to first mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition.
Stir in blueberries.
Pour into a greased and floured 12 x 7 baking dish.
Sprinkle top with remaining 2 Tbsp sugar.
Bake for 35- 40 minutes.
Cut into squares and serve warm with butter.