spicy gingerbread with a ginger and brown sugar streusel

On the long drive south back to college after spring break, the Pi Queen, GL and I decided that we needed to take some of our childhoods with us. We were on the road, driving away from home and towards frightening things like midterms and differential equations and dining commons meals. (The latter is the worst. I like differential equations, sometimes).

To combat all of these activities and worries we decided that what we really needed was an Easter egg hunt: bright plastic orbs filled with candy, fingers died pink and green and purple from coloring hardboiled eggs, skipping around on bright green grass under a bright blue sky with brightly colored baskets (actually we used grocery bags). But you see the appeal? There was a dollar store next to the station where we parked for gas. We exchanged looks, evil cackles, and bought some pretty plastic eggs. I think the camouflage ones are my favorite.

The weather delivered the promised cloudless sky. We boiled several dozen eggs the night before, turned our fingers funny colors dying them, and frolicked out to the lawn the next morning. It was lovely. There was candy, there were eggs, there was MA climbing things three times her height to hide them. The Snark had her first Twix bar (until recently, she's been allergic to dairy) and her exclamations of joy were wondrous and amusing to behold.

My contribution was two loaves of this delectable gingerbread and some Cornish pasties (which were largely made by the wonderful GS). But more about them later. This is my favorite gingerbread I've made, and not just because the other one was terrible. This recipe is dense but tender, spicy and flavorful, very palatable but not too sweet. I highly recommend it. I added the struesel last minute for extra flavor. It was a tasty addition, but not necessary. This loaf stands on its own.


Gingerbread
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
1 C molasses
2 1/2 C flour
2 tsp
baking soda
3 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C candied ginger, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 C water
3/4 C apple juice

1/4 C butter
1/3 C flour
1/4 C brown sugar
1 Tb cinnamon
1/4 C chopped candied ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add egg and beat until combined. Add molasses and beat until combined.

Stir in dry goods. Microwave water and apple juice and add them to the batter.

Using two forks or a sturdy whisk, cut the butter into the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger.

Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans. Sprinkle on the ginger topping.

Bake 1 hour.

What are your spring traditions? Do you do Easter? Passover? Equinox? Do you bake special cookies on the day you first see an iris, or have a picnic the first day it's warm enough for shorts and T-shirts?