Gingerbread

Traditional gingerbread is so easy to make and smells and tastes wonderful. I made some for my son's 5th grade class for "Colonial Craft Day" and they were all eaten up! They can be made in a baking dish like brownies or in cupcake papers as seen here. 

Makes enough for 9 x 13 baking dish or 16 muffins

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• powdered sugar or whipped cream for topping and decoration

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan (or put muffin papers in tins - no buttering and flouring necessary).

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg, and set aside. 

3. With an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar together until light.

4. Beat in molasses.

5. Beat in eggs one at a time.

6. Add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with 2 additions of milk (Begin and end with flour). 

7. Pour batter into the prepared pan or muffin papers. 

8. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes (or 10 - 14 minutes for muffins).

9. Let cool, then cut into squares.

Adapted from: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/double-ginger-gingerbread