Ginger Cake For My Mom

This is my amazing mom. She passed away a month ago from cancer. My mom was very much the center of the family, and now my 5 siblings and I are learning to be a family without her. We're re-connecting - carefully, gratefully - with her death reminding us that the only thing that matters is to be kind to one another.

For the weeks before my mom died, there was a constant stream of visitors from friends and family. One evening, her best friend, who's a gourmet cook, brought a ginger cake. There was very big crowd that night visiting, and amidst the tear-filled tributes and toasts and the intense gratitude for having a mother who was so loving and kind, there was also, strangely, a lot of yelling about how good this cake was!

My mom loved fun, and loved to cook and have people over for supper. She was the most laid-back hostess ever, whipping up new and exotic dishes on the fly, without a trace of anxiety.

I made this cake last week, and my mom and I shared it, in spirit. It's absolutely wow. It's dark, wet, and packs a real punch of ginger. She loved it. (We topped it with coconut whipped cream.)

Ingredients:
(Dry)                               (Wet)
2 c. white flour                  1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. white sugar              1 c. molasses  
1/2 tsp. baking soda           1 c. stout
1 Tbs. ground ginger          1/2 c. unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp. cinnamon                 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. grated fresh ginger

Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately, and then combine together. Bake at 350 in a fluted Bundt pan. (Prepare the pan well with either Smart Balance and flour or Smart Balance and raw sugar.) Test with a toothpick after 55 minutes of baking.