Cake Fridays

I know this cake is totally unseasonable, but I have a soft spot for all things gingerbread.  I love those bold, spicy flavors mixed with molasses.  This cake is not for the faint of heart.  It is very dark, rich and poignant.  When I first came across this recipe, I thought, "A cup of molasses!"  It seemed like overkill to me, but once you try this heavily seasoned and fragrant cake, you'll see that it works.

 

FYI: I loved this cake but my family thought it was one-note so maybe next time I'll add a cup of chocolate chips or a half a cup of crystallized ginger.  I also used whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour to add more earthy, nutty flavors.  I filled a 9 inch round cake pan to the top with this batter so it mushroomed up when baked.  Next time I might save some of the batter for a donut or a few mini cupcakes.  It still tasted great but it took longer to bake (I had to cover it after 35 minutes and bake it an additional 8-10 minutes).  All in all, I would make this cake again, preferably around Christmastime :)