Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups bleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup milk
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 cups dark brown sugar
Directions:
Adjust oven rack to middle positon and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9 by 13 inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2 cup measuring cup.
Beat softened butter into dry ingredients first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble sized pieces. Add about 1/2 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages, beat on medium speed until bater is smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack, let cool.
*** Picnic Tip: Can be double wrapped in plastic a day ahead. Return to pan to transport. Also the batter can be divided and baked into two 8″ square cake pans. Take one to picnic and freeze one for later.
*** Gingerbread Variation – To Turn Cake into Gingerbread:.
* reduce baking powder to 1 tsp; add 1 tsp baking soda.
* Reduce brown sugar to 1 cup add 1 cup molasses.
* for spices, use 1 tbls ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground allspice (omit nutmeg and cloves).
Servings: Serve
Time preparation: 25 min.
Time total: 65 min.