GINGERBREAD WITH CIDER SAUCE

Gingerbread with Cider Sauce image

Yield Serves 12

Number Of Ingredients 19

For cake
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup robust-flavored (dark) molasses
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 cup boiling water
For sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups unsweetened apple cider
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger
Powdered sugar

Steps:

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 10-inch-diameter Bundt pan (12-cup capacity) with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, sugar, ginger, baking soda and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk molasses, applesauce, oil and egg in large bowl to blend. Add dry ingredients and stir until well blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup boiling water. Pour batter into prepared pan (batter will fill only half of pan).
Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool in pan 30 minutes. Invert cake onto platter and cool to lukewarm, at least 15 minutes.
Make sauce:
Whisk sugar and cornstarch in heavy small saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in cider. Whisk over medium heat until sauce boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in lemon juice and ginger.
Dust cake with powdered sugar. Cut into 12 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with sauce.