The Life is Going to be Just Fine in the Colonies - Mary Ball Washington Gingerbread - American Cake

There are golden raisins lurking in there! 

Cake 2 from American Cake by Anne Byrn

I feel like I have to make this cake again. Dagnabit!

So I did bake it twice. Here is my initial reaction: Mind you what I have is yummy but I just looked up mace, and now I have to buy it. I couldn't find it easily at the local Kroger so I just omitted it. I feel like I'm missing out and my life will be better if I make the effort. So herumph. There's a Penzeys Spices a few miles away. I can do this. I also didn't have an orange in the house so I used lemon. One wrong thing I can live with two things I can't. So I'll do this again shortly.

Twenty-four hours later, an orange and a jar of mace later I've made this delicious cake. Wow! It's a stunner! IDK if it's the orange zest, the mace, the brandy or the raisins but combined it is something to write home about. At least to write praise in blog about. This is like a cross between a Holiday fruit cake and quick bread. Wow!

I'm sure folks who had this as a treat were happy to be in the colonies.

13x9 pan, oven 350 degrees. I used parchment paper and sprayed the pan. Again, I'm seeking the cake's flavor and structure as to what they might have used to have. I'm also looking for technique that is unknown to me. I don't have to cream sugar and butter by hand because I already know that's not fun. I'm not going to forego parchment when I know it gives good results. I know Anne will forgive me.

The recipe:

3 cups flour
2 tablespoons dried ginger (that's not a typo, I checked a few times)
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
.25 teaspoon nutmeg
.25 teaspoon mace
1 large orange, zested and juiced
4oz butter, lightly salted
.5 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
.5 cup warm milk
.25 cup brandy
3 large eggs
1 cup golden raisins + 1 teaspoon flour

Sift the dry ingredients, in the list from flour to mace together.
Cream the butter, sugar and molasses until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the orange juice, zest, milk, brandy, eggs and cream.
Add the dry ingredients, mix until smooth.
Toss the raisins in flour then add to the batter. Fold in.

Pour into prepared pan and bake 35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes then cut and serve warm.