The molasses and applesauce are magical for flavor and moisture here and cannot be subbed or the cake will not be moist.
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour (just blend brown rice in dry blender until it's flour)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 teaspoons gingerbread spice (2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. cloves, 1/2 tsp. allspice)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup pure maple syrup, room temp
1 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temp
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses (do not use blackstrap)
2 tablespoons HOT water
Preheat the oven to 350°F spray an 8x8' pan.
To a large bowl, add the flours, cornstarch, baking soda, spices and salt and whisk very well.
To the same bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, molasses and hot water. Whisk gently in large circles until everything is combined and smooth, making sure to get the flour at the bottom, but DO NOT over-mix. As soon as it's smooth, stop mixing. Over-mixing the batter can make the cake dense and the center SINK.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top and evenly to the corners. Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes or when a toothpick is completely clean.
Cool the cake completely in the pan for a minimum of 1 hour, no exception. This allows the cake to completely cook through. There is a lot of applesauce and moisture in this cake, so you don't want to cut too soon or it will be wet.
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with a Tblsp. of water
Heat everything together and boil for 2 minutes. Drizzle over gingerbread. YUM!!