Cake of Spices with Autumnal Fruit

Otherwise known as:

(photo by Taste of Home)

Apple Gingerbread

4-5 c. sliced peeled baking apples

1-1/2 c. sugar, divided

1 c. dark molasses

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. boiling water

Arrange apple slices in a greased 17x11x1 inch pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 c. sugar. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven. In a large bowl, mix remaining sugar with molasses and butter until smooth. Mix in eggs. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Add molasses mixture and beat until smooth. Add boiling water and mix. Pour batter over apples and spread evenly in pan. Bake for 309 minutes or until cake tests done. Serve from dish, or invert onto foil-covered cookie sheet.

Yield: 1 large pan of spicy deliciousness.

Eat warm, but try to catch the scent in a bottle, so you can open it up when your want your house to smell like fall and Thanksgiving and Christmas all at once. :)

Don'tcha wish?