Gingerbread with Lemon Cream

By luvmybuttonsnbows

PREP:
20 minutes
COOK: High 1 3/4 hours
COOL: 30 minutes
MAKES: 6 servings
SLOW COOKER:
3 1/2- to 4-quart

USE CANNING JARS AS BAKING MOLDS
Create a simple baking or steaming mold with a straight-sided, wide-mouth canning jar. To ensure that the baked cake or bread will slip out easily, grease well the inside of the jar. Lining the bottom of the jar with waxed paper will help, also. Grease a piece of foil on one side. Place the greased side down over the top of the jar and press the foil around the edges to seal tightly.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash salt
• Dash ground allspice
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1/4 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons snipped dried cherries or mixed dried fruit bits
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 3/4 cup whipped cream
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel

Preparation

Step 1

Generously grease the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 1 -pint straight-sided, wide-mouth canning jar. Flour the jar; set aside.
In a bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and allspice. In a mixing bowl beat shortening and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add egg and molasses. Beat 1 minute more. Alternately add flour mixture and boiling water, beating on low speed after each addition. Stir in cherries or fruit bits and ginger. Pour into prepared canning jar. Cover jar tightly with greased foil, greased side down. Place in a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Pour 1 cup water around jar.
Cover; cook on high-heat setting 1 3/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove jar from cooker; cool 10 minutes. Using a small spatula, loosen bread from sides of jar; remove from jar. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Cut bread into 12 slices; place two slices on a dessert plate. . Combine the whipped cream and lemon peel; top each serving with whipped cream mixture.