Cholly'S World-Famous Gingerbread Cake

• 1 cup dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• Unsweetened cocoa and/or powdered sugar (optional)
• Fresh mint sprigs (optional), rinsed

1. In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in molasses and baking soda. After mixture stops foaming, stir in 1/2 cup cold water; let cool to room temperature, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves.
3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and brown sugar until well blended. Beat in eggs until blended. Reduce speed to medium-low. Add flour and molasses mixtures alternately until incorporated, then beat on high speed until well blended. Pour into a buttered and floured 9-inch square pan.
4. Bake in a 325u0b0 regular or convection oven until a toothpick inserted in center of thickest part comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a rack at least 1 1/4 hours.
5. Pour about 1/4 cup creme anglaise onto each plate. Cut cake into pieces (see notes) and set them in sauce on plates. If desired, lightly sift cocoa and/or powdered sugar over each plate and garnish with a mint sprig. Offer remaining creme anglaise to add to taste.

dark molasses, baking soda, flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, ground cloves, butter, brown sugar, eggs, cocoa, mint sprigs

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chollys-world-famous-gingerbread-cake (may not work)