GingerBread Cake = Christmas

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium size apple
1in nub of fresh ginger
1 cup hot water


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
In food processor, combine hot water, apple and ginger, blend until mushy, like applesauce.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water/apple/ginger mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

Top with fresh orange pulp, candied ginger slices and eggnog foam

Eggnog

yes, not exactly seasonal, but a must have recipe

- Separate 6 eggs

In mixing bowl
- egg yokes
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup apple jack brandy or whiskey of choice

Beat Stiff in different bowl
- egg whites
- add 1/2 cup sugar while beating
* Mixture is stiff enough when it can be inverted with out spilling out!

Mix both mixtures together plus:
- 1 pint cream
- 1 pint milk

* garnish with freshly shaved nutmeg...