Green Island Gingerbread

Because I have the Cantina open, and because this is really too good to be lost, here is the famous Green Island Gingerbread. The gingerbread itself is very dark and deep, richly — almost excessively — ginger. Good three days later, the kind of thing old travellers would have taken on a journey. But the sauce, which would not travel well even if there was ever any left over, is completely stunning.

Gingerbread Green Island

Preheat oven to 325º
mix in small bowl:
4 t ground ginger
4 t ground cinnamon
2 t baking soda
1/2 t ground cloves
1/2 t ground pepper
1/2 t salt

Beat till fluffy, with electric mixer, in a large mixing bowl:
1 C butter
1 C brown sugar

Beat in:
2 C fancy unsulphured (or try blackstrap) molasses
2 eggs

Beat in the spice mixture, then with a wooden spoon, stir in:
3 1/4 C flour

When that's incorporated, stir in:
1 C boiling water
and if you like, either:
1 C finely chopped candied ginger OR
1 C California raisins, plumped in 1/2 C boiling water for 20 minutes, then drained

Turn into a 9” x 13” greased cake pan, bake for 60-65 minutes.

If making ahead, cover pan with foil and store at room temperature for two days. Or turn out and wrap cake in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to one month.


MAPLE SAUCE:

3/4 C butter
2 eggs
2 C icing sugar
1/2 C maple syrup
2 T rum or 1 t vanilla

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs. While constantly whisking, slowly drizzle melted butter into eggs, then whisk in icing sugar till smooth, then maple syrup and rum or vanilla. Pour back into the saucepan and stir over medium heat just until mixture starts to bubble. Immediately pour into small pitcher and serve over squares of gingerbread. Sauce will keep, covered in the fridge, for 3 days. (But there won’t be any to keep.) Microwave low heat till warm.