Irish Black Ginger Cake

This unique ginger cake is loaded with flavor from molasses, coffee and spices like cinnamon, cloves and ginger. This cake is so tasty it doesn't even need frosting, but if you're craving a sweet topping, try a coffee icing.

Cooking Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• ¹/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• ¹/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup blackstrap molasses
• 2 ¹/2 cups flour
• 1 ¹/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger root)
• ¹/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ¹/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup hot strong freshly brewed coffee

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square of 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
   
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. In a large bowl, beat the egg into the molasses, then add to the butter mixture. Sift together the flour, spices, and salt, then fold into the butter mixture.
   
3. Dissolve the baking soda in the hot coffee, then add it to the batter. Beat vigorously until well blended.
   
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.