Holiday Traditions

What a great time of year for families to work in the kitchen, making memories; honoring age-old traditions.

This year, why not start a new tradition making warm, delicious gingerbread cake.

Baked in Europe for centuries, gingerbread has a long and varied identity.  In some places it was a soft, delicately spiced cake; in others, a crisp, flat cookie, and in others, warm, thick, steamy-dark squares of “bread”.

In Medieval England, gingerbread meant “preserved ginger”.  During that time, the term came to be applied to a kind of cake made with treacle (molasses) and flavored with ginger.  Gingerbread cake was believed to aide in digestion and was often made to soothe an upset stomach.

Today, gingerbread cake is associated with welcoming in the holiday season.  The recipe that follows requires simple ingredients and takes only a few minutes to prep.  And it’s  a perfect recipe for children to help make.  Here are some ways your child can help:

• Take turns with your child when using an electric mixer
• Have your child measure and add ingredients (this is great time to discuss where food comes from while also incorporating some math skills)
• Help your child pour the mixture into a prepared pan

While the bread is baking, remember to include your child in the clean-up.   Make it an opportunity to talk more about the history of gingerbread.

Gingerbread Recipe (courtesy of Allrecipes.com)

½ cup sugar

½ cup butter

1 egg

1 cup molasses

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinammon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

Bake at 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter.  Beat in the egg and mix in molasses.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, cinammon, ginger, cloves and salt.  Add to sugar/butter mixture and blend together.  Stir in hot water.  Pour in prepared, 9 inch greased and floured square pan.  Bake for 1 hour.

And for another great gingerbread holiday tradition, check out Creative Discovery Museums gingerbread workshops. For more information go to www.cdmfun.org.

Visit the Creative Discovery Museum with your children and start your own gingerbread tradition.