moist, tender spice cake: gingerbread variation

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 cup molasses

Recipe

• adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. mix milk, eggs, molasses and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
• beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. pour batter into cake pan.
• bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake rack. let cool.