60 Year Old Gingerbread

During the Holidays one of the favorites in Helon's Kitchen was the smell of gingerbread baking.
I don't know if the smell wasn't better or at least close to the great taste. This is an incredible recipe and makes a moist gingerbread. It is very easy, but I do not have the exact length of time that the gingerbread is to bake since this is an old recipe, and it was baked by touch, smell, and color. I cook it the same way and it takes about 25-35 minutes, and is cooked at a rather high heat for baking.
The ingredients are simple and probably already in your cupboard....so grab them and cook up a batch and fill the air with the smell of ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Do this and have company over to not only taste the gingerbread but enjoy the aroma.

1 egg
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup of flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1tsp. ginger
1tsp. allspice
1tsp. cloves
1 tsp. soda
1/2 cup boiling water


Mix all ingredients (soda and boiling water last) and bake in well greased, floured pan at 400 degrees or until done. (see what I mean) This is dark gingerbread because of the dark molasses.
I use an 8x8 metal pan and do exactly as the recipe. The gingerbread is done when it springs back at touch, or insert a toothpick in the center when it comes out clean it is done. In keeping with the original recipe, I do not use no stick spray, but the flour and oil.