Name: Fresh Ginger Cake
Yield: Serves 10-12
Ingredients: 4 ounces fresh ginger; 1 cup mild molasses; 1 cup sugar; 1 cup vegetable oil, preferably peanut; 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 cup water; 2 teaspoons baking soda; 2 eggs, at room temperature

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This is the most often requested recipe in my repertoire, and I've passed it on to many, many people. It appears so often on Bay Area menus (sometimes called Dave's ginger cake, which, I admit, amuses and flatters me) that I sometimes think I'm responsible for too much of a good thing. Then I order it, taste it, and decide not to worry: This simple cake is wonderful.

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