Myra’s Gingerbread

Old-fashioned gingerbread with blackstrap molasses, spices and orange zest.

I toured for many years as a Naughty Bawdy Wench on the Renaissance Festival circuit. When the Renn Fest organizers decided to open a festival in Ohio, they hired the Wenches. Myra thought it would be fun to have a booth and sell something. She did tons of research and decided to make gingerbread to sell. During the renaissance, Europe was learning about spices from the far east like ginger and cinnamon. And royalty had orange trees they grew in special buildings called “orangeries.” She bought material for a booth and my husband, James, was hired to build it. Before she could get that done, the first Ohio Renn Fest went bankrupt! By the time another company came in and restarted the Festival (that is ongoing to this day) Myra decided it wasn’t worth the trouble but she did have a great recipe!

It’s still a wonderful recipe. I really like the orange zest she added. My friend Jane likes gingerbread with chocolate frosting on top. James and I usually put whipped cream on top. Either way, it’s a great (and easy) recipe for the Holidays.

Myra’s Gingerbread

Old-fashioned gingerbread with blackstrap molasses, spices and orange zest

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 36 pieces

Equipment

• 1 small pot to melt the butter
• 2 bowls one for wet ingredients, one for dry
• 1 wire whisk
• 1 rubber spatula
• 1 2 cup measuring cup for the wet ingredients
• 1 set of dry measuring cups for the dry ingredients
• 1 set of measuring spoons
• 1 zester or grater to zest the orange peel
• 1 13 x 9 inch baking pan

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
• 1 1/2 teas. baking soda
• 2 teas. cinnamon
• 2 TBLS. ground ginger
• 1/2 teas. salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• Peel of 1 orange, zested
• 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cup very hot water

Instructions

 

• Grease or spray your 13 x 9 baking pan.

  Set oven temperature to 350 degrees.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan and set aside.
• In one bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
• In another bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, orange zest and melted butter.
• Whisk together the molasses, honey and hot water.

  Use your whisk to mix all ingredients. Alternate adding 1/2 cup of dry ingredients, and 1/2 cup of molasses mixture into the bowl with the butter mixture until everything is combined.
• Put the batter in your greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  Let it rest until cool, cut into either 8 x 4 or 6 x 4 pieces. Store in an airtight container. Can be frozen.

Keyword Ginger, molasses, sweet bread