Instructions: To make the gingerbread, put the sugar and water in a large saute pan and cook over high heat until the sugar turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not stir until the sugar starts to brown. Add the apples and cook until they are tender and the caramel is soft, about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, cream, and molasses and mix well on high speed. Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. Add the cooked apples, mix well, and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, candied ginger, and baking soda. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add half of the sour cream and mix well. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix well. Stir in the remaining sour cream and then add the pecans and mix well. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 to 55 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. Put the lemon juice, water, sugar, zest and vanilla in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Put the cornstarch in a bowl and add the water to soften. Whisk the cornstarch into the boiling sugar mixture and then whisk in the butter. Keep the sauce warm until ready to use.

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whip the cream to soft peaks. Slice the cake and place the slices on individual plates. Drizzle some of the sauce over each slice, top with a dollop of whipped cream, and serve.

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