Ingredients
Scale
For the cake:
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup water, divided
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/4 cup milk
- 4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Coat an 11×17-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, the sugar, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, the ginger, the nutmeg, and the cloves.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the butter, the cocoa, the molasses, and 1/4 cup of the water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture, followed by the remaining water, the buttermilk, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, and the eggs. When adding the eggs, be careful not to add them while the mixture is too hot, otherwise they might end up scrambled.
- Beat the batter until it is combined and smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the cake springs back when touched with a fork, about 17-19 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, in a medium saucepan, combine the remaining butter and the milk and bring to a boil.
- Whisk the powdered sugar into the boiling milk mixture and then transfer the saucepan away from the heat.
- Stir the remaining vanilla into the frosting mixture.
- Immediately pour the frosting over the warm cake and sprinkle with the pecans.
- Slice and serve.