Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F convection or 325°F conventional.

Step 2

Prep your Pan: I sprayed my pan with cooking spray and then floured it. Tap the flour around until every inch is covered. Tap out the extra flour onto a piece of parchment on the counter. You should be left with a perfectly floured pan.

Step 3

Whisk together flour, spices, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Step 4

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar just until a thick paste forms. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after every two eggs or so.

Step 5

Add molasses and beat in well.

Step 6

Switch the mixer to low and then alternately add the flour and sour cream. I don’t wait until all the flour has incorporated until I add the next batch. I just keep adding with two hands. Pro-style. I do stop the mixer to add the last of the sour cream mixture because I like to scrape it all out with a rubber spatula.

Step 7

You should have a silky, smooth batter. Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.

Step 8

Bake in preheated oven until a cake tester comes out with a few clinging crumbs. This will take about 60-85 minutes depending on your oven. Mine baked for 70 minutes. If you overbake it will be dry. Even that much butter, sugar and sour cream can’t over compensate for overbaking. Just sayin’.

Step 9

Let her COOL 20 minutes and then loosen the edges with a paring knife and then turn it out onto a rack. Allow to cool completely.

Step 10

Top with caramel sauce if desired. I warmed the sauce slightly in the microwave before pouring over the top of the cake, so that it would be a thinner glaze, but you could leave thick drips if desired!