Saveur

Photo: Landon Nordeman

2 1⁄2 cups flour, plus more for the pan
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄2 tsp. fine salt
1⁄2 tsp. finely ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups dark cane syrup,
   preferably Steen's brand
1⁄2 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in
   1 cup boiling water
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 350°. Butter a 9" round metal cake pan and line bottom with buttered parchment paper. Sprinkle in a little flour; turn and tilt pan to coat the inside. Invert pan and tap out any excess flour. Set pan aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, cloves, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, whisk together syrup, oil, and egg. Beat one-third of the flour mixture followed by one-third of the soda mixture into the syrup mixture; repeat twice more, to make a smooth batter. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle of cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cake cool completely in pan. Invert cake onto a plate; dust with confectioners' sugar.

SERVES 8 – 10

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #115