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Photo: Andrea Mathis
Active Time:10 minsTotal Time:45 minsServings:9Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:10 minsTotal Time:45 minsServings:9
Active Time:10 mins
Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:45 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:9
Servings:
9
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
Why Gingerbread Reminds Me of Malcolm X
Gingerbread has long been a part of baking traditions. The first references to it appear in ancient Egypt and Greece, where it was used for ritual purposes. In Europe, gingerbread probably arrived with the Crusaders, who brought back ginger and other aromatics from the Middle East. It was popular in northern Europe and was thought to ease digestion. In the English-speaking world, Queen Elizabeth I of England was one of the first people to serve it, and Shakespeare references it inLove’s Labour’s Lost.
Upon hearing of the death of Malcolm X’s youngest daughter, Malikah, I thought back to my brief moment with her mother. When I baked my annual pan of gingerbread that year, I thought of them and hoped they were all together at peace, perhaps feasting on some gingerbread.
Andrea Mathis
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients½tablespooncold unsalted butter plus 4 tablespoons melted, divided1cupdark molasses½cupboiling water2 ¼cupsall-purpose flour1teaspoonbaking soda1 ½teaspoonsground ginger½teaspoonground cinnamon½teaspoonsalt¼cuppacked dark brown sugar
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
½tablespooncold unsalted butter plus 4 tablespoons melted, divided
1cupdark molasses
½cupboiling water
2 ¼cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
1 ½teaspoonsground ginger
½teaspoonground cinnamon
½teaspoonsalt
¼cuppacked dark brown sugar
DirectionsPreheat oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with ½ tablespoon butter.Pour molasses into a medium bowl and add boiling water. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and brown sugar; beat well using an electric mixer or manually, about 3 to 4 minutes.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.To make ahead:Refrigerate cake in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2021; updated December 2022
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with ½ tablespoon butter.Pour molasses into a medium bowl and add boiling water. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and brown sugar; beat well using an electric mixer or manually, about 3 to 4 minutes.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.To make ahead:Refrigerate cake in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with ½ tablespoon butter.
Pour molasses into a medium bowl and add boiling water. Add flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine. Add the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter and brown sugar; beat well using an electric mixer or manually, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve topped with whipped cream, if desired.
To make ahead:
Refrigerate cake in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days.
Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, December 2021; updated December 2022
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)275Calories6gFat54gCarbs3gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
