Ingredients

• ¼ pound butter, plus 1 tsp. for buttering pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking soda, dry
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 teaspoons baking soda , dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup heavy cream

Method

Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.

Melt the stick of butter, pour into a large bowl and allow it to cool slightly. Beat the sugar and eggs into the butter.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, dry baking soda and grated ginger.

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Using a wooden spoon, stir the molasses and the baking-soda solution into this water.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the sugar and eggs, then stir in the molasses mixture.

Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake pulls out cleanly, about 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake and invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with either lime cream or whipped cream that has been sweetened with brown sugar and a couple of tablespoons of bourbon.

Make the lime cream:
Whip the eggs and sugar in a bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment until the mixture doubles in volume and has a light color. Lower the speed and blend in the lime juice and zest.

Pour this mixture in the top of a double boiler (or into a medium metal bowl placed over a pot of simmering water). Cook over high heat, whisking often until smooth , very thick and custard-like. Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the butter, a few pieces at a time, until it is fully incorporated. Cool to room temperature.

Using an electric mixer or wire whisk, whip the heavy cream into soft peaks. Gently fold a fourth of the whipped cream into the lime curd. Then fold in the remaining cream.

Notes

Make sure to use dark unsulphured molasses, not light molasses (sometimes used on pancakes and sweeter than dark) or blackstrap molasses.

This recipe was printed in Rob Kasper's column for the Baltimore Sun on 9 January 2008.

Nutritional information per serving

Per serving (cake only): 304 calories, 4 grams protein, 9 grams fat, 5 grams saturated fat, 52 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 75 milligrams cholesterol, 528 milligrams sodium.

Per tablespoon (lime cream only): 75 calories, 1 gram protein, 6 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 5 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 28 milligrams sodium.