Favorite Old Fashioned Gingerbread

This gingerbread, handsdown, is the best I've ever tasted. I doubled the spices, used a whole cup of robust molasses, and added 1/2 cup applesauce. It turned out moist and absolutely delish. I've made it twice already and even those who swear they hate gingerbread say that this is to die for. Here's a secret idea that I got from a restaurant...Toast a slice in a toaster over then drizzled with caramel sauce (homemade is the best) and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Amazing. I will be making this forever.

I give this recipe 5 stars, but with a disclaimer... it depends on which kind of molasses is used, a triumphant 5 stars using Unsulphured, but a paltry 2 stars using Blackstrap. Here's why: Please remember there are three distinctly different choices when it comes to molasses, as it will impact your recipe's flavor quite a lot. 1) Unsulphured Molasses is the sweetest, with a mild molasses taste. 2) Sulphured Molasses is less sweet, more minerally, with a stronger molasses taste. 3) Blackstrap Molasses is not very sweet at all, has a hard, licorice-like flavor... so choose carefully, your satisfaction will depend on it. And yet how many of these recipes recommend any one kind... they just say molasses...lol, is it just me?

OMG this is probably the BEST cake recipe I've found on this website!! It tasted much better than I expected. I doubled all the spices, replaced half of the butter with applesauce, replaced the molassass with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup honey. I will DEFINITELY be making this again!

This is really good. I recommend increasing the cinnamon and ginger to at least 2 teaspoons each. I personally like my gingerbread a bit more moist, so I will add a little bit more water next time (maybe an additional 2 tablespoons of water). I baked in a springform pan as well (9 1/2 ") and it was really pretty. You can sprinkle powdered sugar over the top for a nice presentation.

We loved this moist gingerbread. I put it in a loaf pan, which worked out great. A creamcheese with orange peel frosting tops this well. Especially when you're sharing it with the office! They raved about it! I added 2 tsp. of ginger, but kept everything else as Charles submitted it. It has a lot of flavor and the texture was light and moist. Great with a rich cup of coffee!

Great basic. Tripled the ginger, cinnamon, and clove. 1/2 cup of apple sauce. Rest as is with whip cream. Next time, I might try the darkest molasses I can find. Unsalted butter please.

Delicious gingerbread. Will make again. Especially good with ice cream. In my oven, the 1 hour cooking time was too much-it started to scorch at 50 mins. Will begin checking at 45 mins next time. Thank you!

I did not care for this recipe.

great texture- moist and substantial. BUT lacked any oomph whatsoever. I increased ginger and cinnamon to 1 1/2 tsp each, but definitely should've atleast doubled, as per some other reviewers' suggestions. May make again.

This recipe is SO Good! Amazing tasting Gingerbread. I too upped the spices as per other reviews. I doubled the cinnamon and cloves and brought the ginger right up to one tablespoon. I also added a 1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce for extra moisture. My husband hates gingerbread and even he thought it was delicious. Usually when I make a loaf cake I give most of it away because I lose interest after the first slice-not this time. I will definitely make again, and soon! I used a cream cheese icing on top and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and some minced crystalized ginger. Decadent and so far beyond the Starbucks version (which is what I was trying to achieve) it's unreal. Never again will I consider spending $3.00 on one slice of that loaf when I can make this far superior one anytime. EXCELLENT.

If I could give this 10 stars I would. Fist time I ever made a ginerbread and now I gotta make it every year for Christmas, Everyone just loved it.

Great recipe. I used a little more ginger and a little vegetable oil for more moistness. Everyone loved it.

I had a SERIOUS craving for some Gingerbread Cake and this is my second time making this. Didn't feel like rating last time. The first time I made just as specified. Totally satisfied but could have been a bit more spicey but that's just me. 4 stars in it's original state. This time for experimental purposes, I was going to follow 'Francine76' (first review) with an addition of 1/2 cup of Applesauce but dang it--my mouth was watering so bad to get it in the pan that I forgot it. Oh well...The cake STILL came out tasty, moist and flavorful. Nice deep color too! This recipe is highly adaptable to your favorite spices and substitutions so I did change up or double my spices. I used 2 t of ginger, 1 1/2 t of cinnamon, 1/2 t of mace, 1/2 t of allspice, 1/2 t of cloves and a NICE pinch of cayenne pepper to give it a 'fly' kick. I also used 1/4 c ea. brown & wht sugars (to use up remaining small amount of brown left in bag) & because my butter was still too cold and my mouth was starting to turn into a swimming pool...I used 1/2 cup of 'Butter Flavor Crisco'. I also simmered 3 T of golden raisins in a 1/2 cup of Brandy, 1 t vanilla & 2 tsp of sugar for 5 minutes, drained (save liquid) & added to batter. Took liquid and added hot water to make 1 cup and added that to the batter before putting into pan. Pulling cake 10 minutes early, cake baked up just as delicious and beautiful. I love Gingerbread Cake & this recipe always make me feel realize with guilt I should make it more often.

Great gingerbread. Definitely improves with age, so make it a few days ahead. You may have to hide it though. Increased the spices by about 1/2 and used hot milk instead of water.

Very good. I was looking for a plain spice cake when I read all the good reviews I thought I'd give it a try. The only thing I did different was I added rasins and nuts. Thank you Charles

This was also my great grandmother's recipe, and dates back to the 1920s. The difference in her version is that instead of 1/2 C butter, the recipe says 1/2 C butter and lard mixture and requires "Brer Rabbit" Molasses. It also says to cook in a moderate oven for 35 minutes, so maybe that's why some were having trouble when cooking it for an hour.

Made this nostalgic gingerbread for a gathering of 35 home school kids. Out of the 35 only three didn't care for it. Since molasses has a rather strong taste I was a bit surprised that so many kids loved it, but it brought requests for seconds! Several Mom's asked for the recipe which I gladly shared. I made 3 slight changes. I added about 3 T home made applesauce, 1/4 C sour cream and added a bit more of each spice. I baked this in 2 medium loaf pans, sliced when cool and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.

I made this gingerbread for our Thanksgiving dessert. My sister wanted to make a box gingerbread, but I knew it would be better from scratch. Following advice, I did double all the spices, used unsulphured light molasses, added 2 tablespoons of oil and half a cup of applesauce. I also added about 2 teaspoons of crystallized ginger I bought at a specialty spice store, and I think it made all the difference. I baked in an 8x8 pan for 50 min. It came out perfect! It was starting to burn the littlest bit on the top though, so definitely start watching it closely after 40 minutes or so. It was so good, I made it again for the holiday party we threw at our house, and I'm making it again on Christmas Day! I served it with a semi-homemade pumpkin gingersnap ice cream: Heat a can of pumpkin and the same spices used in the gingerbread in a sauce pan for about 5 minutes. Cool in the freezer in a shallow dish. When it is cool, mix with vanilla ice cream that is softened, either leave it out for an hour or microwave it a little. Mix the pumpkin in with the ice cream, and then mix in 20 crushed gingersnap cookies. Place back in the freezer for about an hour. Serve within 3 hours to ensure the cookies stay crisp. HEAVENLY with this gingerbread. My entire family agree this was one of the best Thanksgiving desserts in history!

I changed the cinnamon and ginger to 2 tsp. and the cloves to 1 tsp. Flavor is excellent but next time I will add 1/2 c. applesauce to add a little moisture. Will definitely make again.

Excellent old fashioned gingerbread. The only flaw is that the bake time is too long. Mine was done in 45 minutes. You should start checking at 40 minutes. Be sure to check with a knife, not a toothpick because the moist cake will stick to the wood. I also reccomend doubling the spices.

Very tasty, not to over powering with the ginger flavor, didn't add clover, added nutmeg instead & a small box of raisins. Melted some lemon curd for topping, oh so good.

SOOO good! Doubled spices, added 1/2 C applesauce. Made this in a bundt pan, cooked for 45 minutes and it turned out perfect!

The aroma alone is well worth 5 stars. I used Splenda, added 1/2 cup applesauce and doubled the spices. I used a 9" square baking pan, oven temp set at 350 and the gingerbread was perfecttly done in 35 minutes. I can see whay other reviewers complained of the gingerbread being dry and suggested adding applesauce for extra moistness. So, be sure to check for doneness after 35 minutes or it could be way overbaked at 60 minutes. This will definitely be a recipe I use often.

Doubled the spices as recommended by other reviewers and it made a dark, spicy, moist gingerbread that tasted even better the day after I baked it. Served with fresh whipped cream. We loved it!

Delicious! I tested this recipe out as a potential dessert for my Christmas party. I took other reviewer's suggestions and doubled the spices (cinnamon, ginger and cloves). I made it in a Bundt pan and 45 minutes was perfect!! Don't be afraid of the strange consistency when you add the hot water. It was very watery, with clumps of dough in it, but it baked perfectly. I just sprinkled powdered sugar on it before serving. Delicious recipe, and I'm looking forward to making it again for my guests! *** UPDATE 12/25/2010: I made this again and added 1 cup of chocolate chips. DELICIOUS ADDITION!! I may add up to 1.5 cups next time. Again made in a Bundt as written above, with a dusting of powdered sugar. Guests loved it! ***

I just took this out of my oven about an hour ago. My neighbor smelled the aroma out at her mailbox and stopped by to ask what I was baking. I did increase the ginger to 2 teaspoons and while the cake was still warm cut into it to find a moist, not too dense, exceptionally flavored gingerbread. I've made a peach compote to go with for dessert tonight. I am very pleased and will absolutely make this again if for no other reason than to make my home smell like Christmas of years past. P.S. My neighbor also has a copy of your recipe. Thank you!!

Have to double spices, I used half molasses half raw honey. Turned out beautifully as three mini loaves, took about 45 minutes to bake. perfect with hard sauce. Our guests were thrilled to eat a couple of slices and then take a mini loaf home. Batter seems runny but bakes up nicely.

I place pear slices on the bottom of a round pan, sprinkle with candied ginger and then pour the batter on top. After baking, I turn it over so the pears are on top. Once it is cooled, I sprinkle with powdered sugar.

I am not a baker but I enjoyed making this gingerbread recipe. It was the best I've tasted-thank you for this recipe.

This was a fantastic recipe. Followed it to a tee except went heavy on ginger...1 tablespoon. Added a little extra of the other spices too. We like it spicy!! Added a teaspoon of nutmeg! Wonderful!!! The house smelled wonderful my husband said I have to make one everyday to make the house smell that good! My nine year old loved it too. Sprinkled it with powdered sugar and served it with whipped cream! This was my first gingerbread but I won't be trying any other recipes...this one nails it!! Easy, moist and delicious!

Delicious and easy. I used 1/2 cup of canola oil in place of the butter and it was great.

I doubled the spices as others suggested and although the taste was great, I found that it dried out pretty quickly which I don't find when I use an oil based bread recipe. Maybe I can substitute oil next time.

I will never try another gingerbread recipe again, this is really the one! It is very moist and cake-like, not too dense and heavy like bread. I doubled the spices like others have recommended, plus I love these spices. I baked this at 350 for 45 minutes and it was done. You can easily top this with a vanilla glaze, whipped cream, or powdered sugar.

This is my great-grandmother's recipe! I have her old handwritten version which is so tattered that I couldn't make out the amounts. This recipe saved the day!! THANK YOU!!!

I baked this to take to the preschool when we were learning about the letter G and gingerbread was our theme. Most of the 3-year olds liked it to my surprise, since most kids don't like things that are heavily spiced. The other teachers raved about this bread and wanted the recipe. I made it twice and it actually turned out better the second time. The first time I used 1 12 teaspoons ginger based on some of the other revies, and I thought it was a little too gingery. The second time I used spiced exactly as called for and I liked it much better. I also used a 9x13-inch pan the second time because I thought the bread was too "thick" the first time and was rather messy and crumbly. Using the larger pan, it only took about 35 minutes in my oven and it was still plenty thick, but more manageable as finger-food. I thought it was good and I am not a huge fan of gingerbread, gingersnaps or anything with molasses in it. I would definitely make this again and I am considering making this in mini-loaves for Christmas gifts in addition to pumpkin bread.

Very good, but I like VERY intense gingerbread. I doubled all the spices, used a full cup of molasses, substituted 1/4 c of applesauce for 1/4 c of butter, and baked for 45 min. Very moist. Some reviewers said the spciy taste intensifies the next day so maybe better tomorrow. ****I changed my rating from 4 to 5 stars. The next day the spices intensified and the cake was dense and gooey-- just how I like it!*********

This is the most satisfying Gingerbread recipe I have ever eaten. Rich, Moist and Easy. This is my new Holilday tradition. two Yums up!

Excellent! I turned these into muffins and added a cream cheese frosting.

Exactly what I was looking for! I only realised I didn't have any molasses after I started. So I substituted 1 cup molasses with 1/2 cup golden syrup and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar. Also, as per the suggestions of other reviewers (and since I wanted to make sure this was spicy), I used 2 teaspoons of ginger powder, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon powder and a little less than 1 teaspoon of cloves powder. Also, ensure that the hot water is stirred in by hand coz I think it makes a difference if you allow the water to seep into your batter and get incorporated by stirring rather than using a machine to do it. Do keep an eye on your oven while this is baking coz this took me only 35 minutes to bake contrary to everybody elses 45-60 minutes. I've used confectioners' sugar to sprinkle over it since I'm adding this to my Holiday platters but if you were serving this as a dessert, I'd suggest topping with lemon glaze/lemon curd/ whipped cream/caramel sauce or serving ice cream when serving it hot! Thank you Charles! I really and truly love this and I'm quite sure this is going to become an all-round the year cake coz everybody seems to simply LOVE this!! :) :) Also I MUST add, baking this has made my house smell so YUM AND COZY!! :D

Favorite indeed! Tripled the spices, added some nutmeg - the taste is exquisite, texture too, moist & nice and it rose beautifully. The only mistake I made was to take it out of the pan before it cooled completely, so it cracked slightly:-) Still, it was gone in one evening:-)

I thought this was delicious. I doubled the spices and took it out of the oven 5 minutes early (usually they are more moist that way). I would try adding applesauce to give it more moisture. I see a lot of reviews that say the molasses taste is too strong. I tasted the cake right after baking and thought so too. But after I left it overnight, the flavor mellowed out and it's perfect! Using a bundt cake pan would probably make it even more attractive. Try it warmed up with whipped cream!

It turned out dry and tasted more like molasses than anything else even after doubling the amount of spices.

Loved this. Delicious, moist and easy to make. Will be making this again soon. 1 hr baking time is to long. Mine was done in 40 mins. (good thing i checked on it!) it would have been overbaked and dry if i kept it in there for the entire 1 hr. Will be making this again soon :)

Quite simply, absolutely fabulous! I increased the ground ginger and ground cinnamon to 1-1/2 tsp. each, but otherwise, kept the recipe as-is. Deep, rich flavor, nice texture to the cake, and wonderful served (as I did) with caramelized peaches and homemade whipped cream. Thanks so much, Charles!

Deliciously perfect! I used half white sugar and half brown sugar and added a dash of fresh nutmeg.

YUM, YUM, yummy or to put it in my nine month old daughter's words.... MORE!!! I was orignal looking for a gingerbread recipe to make gingerbread and a gingerbread house with. This more of a spice cake and does would not work has a gingerbread or gingerbread person recipe. Neverless it is a delicious, yummy, seasonal cake.... I read the reviews and made the following changes instead of a cup of hot water; I used 1 1/4 cup of hot water per suggestion and 1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and ginger. ANd made a simple butter frosting to glaze the cake with, since the cake byself is unbelivable yummy.... Between my 9 month daughter, my husand and myself it was gone by the end of the next day....

a lovely bread/cake as is, but needed double the spices to get a true gingerbread flavour for me. I made my version (a little bit more) diabetic-friendly by substituting Splenda granulated for the sugar, applesauce for the butter, and EggBeaters for the egg. Came out heavy, dense, moist and rich---my favourite kind of gingerbread!!! Thank you!

This is a wonderful gingerbread. I have made many times. I am making it today for my anniversary as my husband loves gingerbread. Thanks for the recipe. Not sure when I sent in the the first review but my husband passed away over four years ago. I am still making it and now I add 1/3 cup of sour cream to it. The grandchildren love it. It is still the best.

This recipe should be called Molasses Cake....it didn't taste like ginerbread at all.

I made this dec.10,2010. I did add double cinnamon, cloves and ginger. I did add 1/2c. applesauce and 2 ozs .cream cheese and doubled the recipe, added only 1 cup hot water, since I added applesauce and cream cheese. It came out so excellent, very moist,and I made cream cheese frosting.

This is a nice moist cake. I used a 9x5 loaf pan and it worked out great.

Took the advice of others and doubled all spices. To cut calories I substituted splenda for the sugar and used 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup butter instead of the 1/2 cup butter. Had a nice flavor when served with cool whip. Very easy. Did it in a loaf pan and came out looking very nice.

This is 5 stars with my modifications but I'm sure it would have been just as good without. However if you want to make something REALLY good & pretty with this recipe, here's what I did - I served this at family Christmas reunion and everyone loved it. First of all, use a 9" springform pan. REPLACE half of the molasses with unsweetened pumpkin puree; DOUBLE the cinnamon and ginger; ADD about a cup of chopped walnuts. Then I covered it with pumpkin spiced whipped cream - the recipe goes like this: 2 cups heavy whipping cream / ½ cup sugar (or less, to taste) / pinch salt / 2 tsp vanilla extract / 1 cup pumpkin puree / 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg / 1 tsp ground cinnamon / 1 tsp ground ginger / 1/2 tsp ground allspice. WHIP the cream separately with the sugar, and mix together all the other ingredients. Fold in. This makes a truly beautiful and very tasty cake that everyone will love!!

Love it! I, too, doubled the spices, added 1/2 tsp vanilla, and used hot coffee instead of water. And baked it for 45 mins. It is wonderful! The ladies from my Bible study loved it too!! Great with whip cream.

Really, really liked this. Took the advice of several reviewers and doubled the spices, seemed to be the perfect amount. Cooked it in a bundt pan and was done at 43 min.

I personally loved this recipe. I used blackstrap molasses and I swear the finished product tasted like a rich dark chocolate cake. The cake was light and yet very dense. My dad also liked this recipe. The only thing I would change is to add more ginger. This is gingerbread after all, and I coudn't taste the teaspoon that I put in. Also, caution to the bakers, if you don't like molasses this recipe is not for you. If you do though, this recipe is heavenly.

The best gingerbread I've ever had, hands down. Only change I made was to add half a cup of apple sauce.

I made this recipe for Christmas Eve in 2009. I did double the spices and added one half cup of apple sauce. I baked this recipe in the Williams Sonoma Nordic Ware Christmas houses pan. It makes six individual houses - a perfect serving size! I sprinkled them with powdered sugar and served with freshly whipped cream. WOW! My family loved it! Cakes were wonderfully moist and "gingery." This year I plan to double the recipe and add the Christmas train to the Christmas houses. Hopefully it will last long enough for me to take a picture!!!

Mmmmmm, warm out of the oven with whipped cream or ice cream on top, nothing says the holidays are here better than this!

I wound up with a 9X9 brick. In actuality this is a spice/molasses cake that is overcooked. In no way is it a gingerbread cake. Sorry.

DO NOT BAKE FOR 1 HOUR!!!!! (It only needs 35-40 minutes) For spicy dark bread, use twice the amount of molasses, and add 1/4 cup freshly/finely shredded ginger... YUM!!! VERY Good recipe, but wrong bake time for tender bread.

Made this last year for Christmas and my family LOVED it. Will definitely make this again!! Dense, moist, and delicious!

Great basic. I used a very dark molasses and doubled the ginger, cinnamon, and clove. I also added 1/2 cup of apple sauce. Rest as per recipe. Topped with warm applesauce and whipped cream.

I disagree with most of the reviewers about the spice amounts. I doubled them as most people recommended, but it was too overpowering for my tastes. If you are going for a heavy spice flavor, I would plan on making some kind of sweet frosting or glaze.

I think there may be an error with the cooking time; one hour seems way too long. Mine came out terribly dry and burnt around the edges. I followed the recipe exactly but added extra cinnamon. I wanted to like it, but it was terrible.

Great recipe! Adding about 1/2 cup of applesauce was the only change I made. Also, when making this again, I think I'd only cook for about 55 minutes or so---it came out a tad try after a full hour.

I have never made gingerbread before and used this as a dessert over the holidays - it was WONDERFUL! This amount fit well into an 8-9 cup antique bundt pan I have - sprinkled with confectioners sugar, it was lovely to look at as well as delicious. What a nice, old fashioned dessert - will be serving this often at my B&B from now on! (I did increase all the spices by about 50% since I like things spicier and it was recommended by many other reviewers)

This was a heavenly cake! I did follow the advice of other users and doubled the ginger and cinnamon, added 1/2 cup applesauce to make the cake extra moist, and checked it after 45 min to make sure it didn't burn. I won't ever use another recipe! This was the base for my Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle-gingerbread cake, pumpkin custard and fresh whipped cream! YUM! I love the fall!

This is very similar to my Irish grandmother's recipe. She used dark brown sugar in place of the white and always swore the "secret" was to use one cup of very strong, black tea, instead of plain old water. I've used Chai tea, steeped well, with great success. The added flavor from the tea gave it a bit of a spicier kick. For a moister, denser cake, I use 1/4 butter and 1/4 low-fat sour cream instead of 1/2 cup butter. Overall, still my favorite "gingerbread" recipe!

Very intense, rich flavor! Really loved it. The cake was very dense and moist. On the advice of others, I also added extra ginger.

I don't normally rate recipes, but felt compelled to grade this one.. 'cause, honestly, it was like trying to eat a molasses brick. Despite following the recipe exactly and cooking in a properly working oven, the crumb and crust were not tender and the cake, as a whole, was far too dense. The molasses overwhelmed the other flavors, although that could be 'cause I used Brer Rabbit full flavor style ( I do love molasses!). Will not try this recipe again.

This was fabulous. Made it in small bread pans as Christmas gifts & everyone loved it. So moist & fragrant!

I really liked this recipe; it's a rich and dense gingerbread cake...great with whipped topping. I used a bit more ginger than the recipe called for. My kid hasn't developed a taste for ginger, yet...otherwise I'm sure he'd like it too. Thanks!

whew!! The molasses was SO overpowering in this cake. Luckily I had also made a cherry pie, or dessert would have been ruined!

3 points: 1. I used whole spices (except ginger) and ground them fresh for the recipe; the amounts given were very good and the results flavorful. But I can see pre-ground spices would be very bland, in the amounts given. 2. the seasoning was OK, but not well rounded. The second time, I added 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 Tbl orange zest. Much better. In the future, I'll also add a 1/4 tsp orange essence or oil. 3. Pan size is all wrong. The batter filled 9" square pan within 1/2" of the rim. I scraped it into a 9"x13" pan and it still baked up 2" thick. (Of course, the recipe does call for an unusually large amount of leavening; a more normal amount would be 1/2 tsp soda.) I had no problem with dryness, which I find interesting considering the larger pan and how frothy the batter is. FYI, I baked it 40 minutes.

My family hated this. I think the 1 cup of molasses was a bit much. I won't make this again. It ended up going in the garbage.

This is fabulous. I would recommend a good cream cheese swirl topping after cutting into servings. Other then that, the cake was moist, spicy and delicious. My husband couldn't get enough and asked me to make more so we could take them up to his shop on the base for the guys that couldn't go home for the holidays.

This was very good - and yes - very easy! I read the reviews before making, and did make a couple minor adjustments. 1) I used brown sugar, not white 2) added 2 additional tbsp of molasses 3)upped the cinnamon to 2 1/2 tsp and 4) added 1/2 tsp nutmeg. Made this into cupcakes, and baked for about 25 minutes at 350F. Frosted them with Molasses-Cinnamon Love Glaze, (my personal recipe) and topped with raisins. I will definitely be making this one again.

A very good gingerbread recipe. I give it four stars and not five for a few fairly minor reasons. I found the gingerbread to not be as spicy and I would have liked, this is my first time making this recipe, so next time I'll add larger amounts of the spices. My main reason for only giving the recipe four stars is that I found the baking time to be very incorrect. I used the size baking pan that the recipe suggested, however I found the gingerbread baked in about half the time the recipe directed. (I used a dark pan.)

This gingerbread is the best I've made, but I must confess I did double the spices as spices vary from brand to brand. I also used Brer Rabbit unsulphured molasses and started checking the baking time at 40 minutes. With my oven, the gingerbread was finished in 43 minutes. We enjoyed this with topped whipping cream. Thanks for sharing. It is now my favorite as it is flavorful, but not an over-powering gingerbread.

Delicious gingerbread. I made this recipe for my husband for Valentine's Day. Not only did he eat the entire thing by the next day, he made himself another one - and he does NOT like to cook. That makes it a winner in my book! Thanks for a great recipe.

Excellent recipe! I followed the recipe EXACTLY as written and found it to be great as is. I did make Allspice Cream Cheese Frosting to top the gingerbread, which made it even better.

I followed the recipe as written and I found it was dry, bland and over cooked. I won't make it as written again.

We have been using this recipe as a quick snack ever since the weather turned cold. It is so quick and simple to make and really has the best flavor. Add a dollop of whipped cream to the cake while it is warm and it's the perfect winter night dessert.

This gingerbread is absolutely delicious. If you like it spicy, then spice it up - I tried it both with extra spices and without and loved both versions.

This was my first time making gingerbread, and it turned out great! I took many reviewers' suggestions and doubled the spices. I also switched up the flour--used 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour, and the remaining cup was all purpose. I made a simple glaze to pour on top(while still warm) of 3 tbsp. lemon juice and 2/3 cup of powdered sugar. The glaze sets while the bread cools and nicely complements the gingerbread flavor. It would be great with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top as well. I'll definitely be making this again, it's the perfect treat to enjoy around Christmastime!

Very Easy to Bake But Bland This cake is a snap to make and bake, and it bakes up fluffy and light. It is excellent with whipped cream or ice cream, but this cake is really too plain and bland to be worthwhile without the extra oomph from those items.

This was so yummy! It's light and has a deep flavour. The only thing I changed was to use 2t of ginger, next time I might up it to 3t as we like it strong. I didn't have the right molasses so I made it up with golden syrup and brown sugar, and I didn't have cloves so I used a little allspice instead and it wasn't worse off for the changes.

We made this to the letter, except we had to use margarine instead of butter for a lactose intolerant person. I was concerned that this might cause the cake to be dry but that was not the case. This cake is outstanding, but you have to like the flavor of molasses and gingerbread in general! This particular recipe creates a slightly crispy crust on top that everyone fought to get! Thanks!

Adding 1/2+ apple sauce, doubling the spices and switching to 1/4c dark brown sugar 1/4c sugar this was a very delicious gingerbread! We will be making this many times over I think!

I have to admit, I didn't try this recipe as is- hence the 4 star rating as I feel like that it what it would have been had I followed the recipe exactly. I read reviews and decided to use 1/4 c butter and a 1/2 c apple sauce, cut the molasses to 3/4 cup and only added 3/4 cup water, used 1/2 c brown sugar instead of white sugar, and I doubled all spices and added a tsp of nutmeg. These changes gave the gingerbread a strong, bold flavor while still being moist. I also had to adjust the baking time- I baked at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Any longer, and I would have had a dry/burnt disaster.

Delicious! Doubled all spices and pulled a trick I use when baking brownies and chocolate cakes: coffee. Instead of 1 C hot water I used 1/3 C coffee (french roast) from this morning, microwaved, then added 2/3 C hot water. If I had the time I would have made an espresso instead (Dancing Deer - best gingerbread ever - adds espresso powder to theirs). Something about coffee makes complex baked goods taste richer. So coffee, organic unsulphered blackstrap molasses, evaporated cane juice sugar, and double spices make a deep dark moist gingerbread. Like my grandma used to make!

I have now tried this recipe two times and all i can say is it comes out dry, burnt on the edges before its even close to cooked on the inside, and flavorless. With all the reviews saying they needed to add or change the spice levels I am amazed so many gave it 5 stars. DO NOT MAKE THIS GINGERBREAD!

This is a GREAT recipe! I actually used this for cupcakes and it worked wonderfully! I added a half cup of applesauce to make the cake more moist. For a filling, I caramelized some pears (cored the center of the cakes and filled with pears). To top them, I made a marscarpone frosting and finished with a little drop of caramelized pears on top. They were a big hit! I would have given this recipe 5 stars if I didn't have to make an adjustment. I will make this again (i'm sure several times ;)

This bread should be called 'Molassesbread.' The one positive thing about this bread is the texture: very moist. And that's about it. It was inedible because of its overpowering molasses taste. This is a subjective statement, of course. If you like molasses, a lot, go for it. If you want a traditional gingerbread that tastes not only like molasses, don't bake this bread.

the flavor was very good and tryue however this did NOT take an hour. My overn usually runs slow but at 55 mins the cake was ready to burn. I would start checking at 45 mins and thereafter.

Excellent gingerbread. My brother (who works at Starbucks) and my husband both devour by the pound the Starbucks gingerbread and gave this one rave reviews. My father was excited because it smelled and tasted just like a childhood recipe from Holland called Tuf Tuf. Will be making on a regular basis!

A excellent gingerbread recipe. I love to use it like a shortcake, using juicy peaches and whipping cream. Yummy!

Great recipe! I used the recipe below and reduced the molasses to about 1/2 and doubled the spices. The end result was absolutely amazing!!!