Cranberry Christmas Gingerbread

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup unsulphured molasses
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Directions:

Grease and flour an 8x8x2 baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sift together flour, baking soda, ginger and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer in large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cranberry sauce and egg, blend in molasses. Gradually stir in dry ingredients and beat thoroughly. Stir in water.

Turn into the baking pan. Bake gingerbread for 45 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan for 20 minutes. Remove and cool on rack. Decorate cake if desired by sifting confectioners' sugar over a paper doily placed on the gingerbread.