This is Grammy’s mother’s recipe, so circa 1900-1920? Laura Bunce Lacaff knew what she was doing when she added this recipe to the family archive. Every time we make it for friends, they swoon.

• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup Brer Rabbit “green label”full-flavored” molasses
• ½ cup butter
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 2 beaten eggs
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Dash salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk; then mix all ingredients and pour into buttered and floured baking pan.

Bake until center is springy – the toothpick test will give you an overcooked cake. Should be at least 30 minutes. This cake is supposed to be a little damp, but not sticky. It’s a fine line. Sprinkle sugar or powdered sugar over top of cake after it cools.