Mary Ball Washington's Gingerbread 1784

Name: Mary Ball Washington's Gingerbread 1784
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 15 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, soft; 1/2 cup fine packed dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup honey; 1/2 cup molasses; 1/4 cup cream sherry; 3 large eggs; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons ground ginger; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground mace; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg; 1 teaspoon cream of tartar; 1/2 cup warm milk (105-115); 2 tablespoons grated orange rind; 1/4 cup orange juice; 1 cup raisins; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 tablespoons warm water (105-115)

Submitted by Shirl J 831

"George Washington's mother is credited with creating this dark, moist cake. It's flavored with molasses, cream sherry, ginger and other spices. This recipe is from the America's Best Recipes Cookbook; that Andrea scooped up at work for me."

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Ready In:: 50mins
Ingredients:: 18
Serves:: 15

ingredients

¹⁄₂ cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, soft
¹⁄₂ cup fine packed dark brown sugar
¹⁄₂ cup honey
¹⁄₂ cup molasses
¹⁄₄ cup cream sherry
3 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons ground ginger
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons ground mace
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
¹⁄₂ cup warm milk (105-115)
2 tablespoons grated orange rind
¹⁄₄ cup orange juice
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons warm water (105-115)

directions

Beat butter at medium speed of an electric mixer till creamy; gradually add sugar, beat well. Add honey, molasses and sherry, beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.
Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternate with milk, beginning and ending with four mixture. Mix at low speed after each addition till blended. Stir in orange juice, rind and raisins. dissolve soda in warm water; add to batter, stir well. Pour batter into greased 13x9x2 pan. Bake 350 for 40-45 minutes till toothpick tested comes out clean. cool in pan on wire rack.

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Reviews

Excellent, dark, rich, moist gingerbread. I have made it in small loaves to give away -- it slices well and tastes lovely with butter -- and of course, as a 9 X 13 cake it also works nicely. In some ways, similar to the dark ginger cake recipe used by Emily Dickinson. It can be adapted with monk fruit for sweetener, more whole grains in place of regular flour, and so on.

Mary Jane C.

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

Shirl J 831

212

I am originally from Alberta, Canada. I am an Independent Avon Sales Representative. Photography has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember so I have taken a few college classes to further my skills.  <a href=http://www.glitter-graphics.com><img src=http://dl6.glitter-graphics.net/pub/1762/1762636hb88s3cqu4.gif border=0 alt= width=480 height=500 /></a><a href=http://www.glitter-works.org target=_blank> I now live in NC, USA. 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