Pinehaven Gingerbread

  I was thinking of what dessert I might make yesterday and saw that I had a little dark molasses left and thought a pan of gingerbread would fit the bill. But I had very little molasses  - no more than a quarter of a cup - but I also saw that I had some leftover  Karo syrup. And just enough to make a full cup if the two were combined. Why not?

 This modification, of course, makes a much lighter colored cake and also one less intensely flavored. Tom called it "more of a spice cake". I actually prefer it to the gingerbread I've made in the past. Here's how I made it:

Pinehaven Gingerbread/Spice Cake

1/2 cup shortening (I used those blocks of Crisco)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
2-1/2 cups bread flower
1/2 teaspoon  salt
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water

 I mixed everything in the order shown  except the flour which I added last.
This makes a very liquid batter.

Bake in a greased 9x9" metal pan; 350° for 40 minutes

Test after 40, minutes (use a toothpick). I've found the center might take a little longer. Even so, the center tends to drop a little for  me as the cake cools. This would normally indicate it's not quite done  and yet a day later it seems fine to me. I'd err towards a slightly longer baking time, especially if your oven runs a bit cool.

 Here's how the pan looked as I took it out of the oven.

 If you want a lighter gingerbread with a less pronounced taste, this is a good option. The cake is also more moist than previous gingerbreads I've made. I think the  Karo might be the reason.