Old Fashioned Gingerbread

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup molasses
1 cup hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line bottom of a 9x9" baking pan with waxed paper.

2. Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and salt.

3. Beat shortening and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg.

4. Mix molasses and hot water in another bowl.

5. Add flour mixture and molasses mixture alternately to shortening mixture beating well after each addition.

6. Pour batter into pan. Bake about 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

*Compliments of Easy Everyday Cooking