Contest-Winning Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce

Name: Contest-Winning Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 20 servings.
Ingredients: 1 cup shortening; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup molasses; 2 large eggs; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda; 1-1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 cup hot water; LEMON SAUCE:; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; Dash salt; Dash nutmeg; 1 cup half-and-half cream; 2 large egg yolks, beaten; 2 tablespoons butter; 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

I asked my mother-in-law for this recipe once I learned it's my husband's favorite. Now I bake it whenever he needs an extra-special treat. Spice cake topped with lemony sauce makes us both smile. —Kristen Oak, Pocatello, Idaho

Ingredients

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
2 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup hot water
LEMON SAUCE:
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Dash salt
Dash nutmeg
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 large egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Beat shortening, sugar, molasses and eggs until well blended. Combine next five ingredients; add to molasses mixture alternately with hot water.
Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, for lemon sauce, combine first five ingredients in a small saucepan until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks; return all to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Gently stir in butter, lemon juice and zest, increasing juice if needed to thin sauce. Serve with warm cake. Refrigerate leftover sauce.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece with about 1 tablespoon sauce: 283 calories, 12g fat (3g saturated fat), 46mg cholesterol, 304mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.

Originally published as Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce in Taste of Home December/January 2001

Reviews

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Average Rating:

sajmfk

Oct 17, 2018

Where's the rest of the lemmon sauce ingredients!
bernerlover

Feb 18, 2018

this was good, but not great. I did love the lemon sauce though and I definitely think it did need it. I'll make the lemon sauce again!
Butcher2boy

Dec 3, 2017

You had me at lemon sauce! This is absolutely delicious. I drizzled the lemon sauce over the cake after the "feasting of the warm sauce" was devoured. This is a keeper.
csilk57

Dec 23, 2011

i made this a few years back for christmas and i'm making again this year. the lemon sauce is an amazing compliment to the spicy cake!