First Prize Gingerbread

Ingredients

110 gr butter
110 gr brown sugar
240 ml molasses
120 ml warm milk
10 gr ginger
3 gr cinnamon
2 gr mace
2 gr nutmeg
55 gr brandy
3 eggs
375 gr flour
5 ml cream of tartar
1 orange juice
5 gr baking soda
60 ml warm water
170 gr raisins

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses, warm milk, ginger, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg. Stir in brandy. Beat eggs until very light and thick. Sift flour and cream of tartar. Add flour mixture and eggs alternately to sugar mixture. Mix in orange juice and rind. Dissolve baking soda in quarter cup warm water. Add soda to bread mixture and beat until very light. Add raisins. Bake in loaf pan or muffin tins for about 30 minutes. Muffins may take less time. If you don't want to use brandy in this recipe, use brandy flavoring or substitute with grape juice concentrate. To prevent the raisins from sinking to the bottom while the bread is cooking, dredge them in flour before putting in the batter.