¼ pound butter
1 cup sugar
½ cup dark-brown sugar
4 eggs
½ cup milk
½ cup molasses
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 ¼ cups flour
icing sugar
butter
vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg
Preheat oven to 350° F., and butter and flour cake pans (either two 8-inch round pans, for a double layer cake, or one 8-inch square pan). Cream the butter with the sugars, then beat in eggs, milk, and molasses. Stir in salt, baking soda, and spices, then gradually add flour, beating until smooth. Pour into pans and bake, about 30 minutes for round cakes and 45–50 minutes for square cake. Cool and ice with creamy butter icing, flavoured with vanilla and a little cinnamon and nutmeg.