Gingerbread Cake

Every Christmas, my mom made homemade cut-out cookies, and we would decorate them with all kinds of toppings, from colored sugar to various sprinkles. Now, my family has holiday baking traditions, which include making all kinds of treats. One of our favorites is gingerbread. What's not to love about gingerbread? It fills your house with the most amazing smell that lingers for a while after being baked.

I usually make a batch of gingerbread cookies for my husband to enjoy. I also bake gingerbread house pieces for my daughter to build and decorate; it's a fun holiday activity. A few years ago, I discovered a gingerbread cake. In this recipe, I've boosted the protein by swapping out buttermilk (4 grams of protein per 1/2 cup) for plain Greek yogurt (15 grams of protein per 1/2 cup), giving this cake recipe more protein than your typical gingerbread cake. It's moist and full of holiday spices, making it the perfect holiday dessert to bake.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp. ground ginger

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup 2% plain Greek yogurt

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8" square pan with non-stick spray (Pam)

2. In a medium bowl, combine; flour, ginger, cinnamon, and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, yogurt, oil, molasses, and egg.

4. Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix well.

5. Pour into pan. Using a spatula or a butter knife, swirl the batter until evenly distributed into the pan. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Serve warm with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

Photo credit: Valley Nutrition & Wellness, LLC/Jessica Clark, RD, LDN