Saucy Gingerbread Pudding Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup fancy molasses
• 1/3 cup milk (2%)
• 3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups hot water
• 1/3 cup salted butter, melted
• Whipped cream or ice cream *

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and salt in a bowl; set aside.
3. Using medium speed of an electric mixer, beat together softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until blended.
4. In another bowl, whisk together molasses and milk until blended.
5. Mixing by hand with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and beginning and ending with flour mixture, add flour mixture alternately with molasses mixture to butter mixture, stirring just until combined.
6. Spread batter in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar over batter.
7. Combine hot water and melted butter. Gradually pour hot water mixture over brown sugar, covering evenly.
8. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centre of cake layer comes out clean and pudding layer is bubbly and slightly thickened, about 45 minutes.
9. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice-cream.