Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch square baking pan. Using a hand-held electric mixer set at high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 additional minutes. Beat in the eggs and orange zest.

Sift the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and cloves onto a piece of waxed paper. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, combine the molasses and boiling water. Alternately in thirds, beat in the flour and molasses mixtures. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, and the cake is shrinking from the sides of the pan, 40 to 50 minutes. Let stand on a wire cake rack for 5 minutes. Place the confectioners sugar in a sieve and dust over the top of the cake. Serve the cake warm or completely cooled.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

of Recipes for the Holiday) by Irena Chalmers.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.