Secret Ingredient Molasses :::: Molasses Bars

The word molasses comes from Portuguese word "melaco". This word evolved from the Latin "mel" meaning "honey" The sticky and sweet stuff has been used as far back as the 1500s as a sweetener for food. Molasses is used in many ways for cooking. From cookies, gingerbread, sauces, dark rye breads and beers all contain molasses. Middle Eastern Culture produce molasses from dates, grapes and pomegranates. If you blend molasses with magnesium chloride it can be used for de-icing. Early printing presses used molasses mixed with glue to case ink rollers.

Picture a molasses cookie.  But much fudgier and more moist. Topped with a delicious glaze, and then cut into bars. There you would have the Molasses Bars 

This is a great dessert to bring to a party, a potluck, or to include in your Christmas baking. 

1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup water

Glaze:
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1-3 tbsp milk

Grease and flour a jelly roll pan. (You can use a13x9x2-inch baking pan, but only pour about 3/4 of the batter in if you want the bars to be thin-ish).

Heat oven to 350°. Sift flour with baking powder, salt, soda, and spices. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl with electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until light; beat in egg, 1/2 cup of the molasses and 1/3 cup water. With mixer on low speed, beat in the sifted flour mixture just until combined.

Spread in prepared pan.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Place pan on wire rack to cool. Frost while still warm. To make frosting, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, Beat in 2 to 3 tablespoons milk. Spread over warm bars. Cut into squares.

Your turn what would you use Molasses in. Please play along leave me a link in my comments so we can all come visit your post next