The defects in this cake aren’t it’s fault. It’s probably a great cake – it has terrific spicy flavor and it’s got that bit of moist stickiness from molasses that makes gingerbread so irresistible.

I take the blame for the problems with the cake – the baking soda needed to be added to the liquid, but instead I added it to the dry ingredients. And then while it was baking, I accidentally turned off the oven timer so I had to keep checking it over and over again.

The result was an overflowing cake, all over the oven… and then, it sunk. Spectacularly. Ah well – it’s a Bundt cake, so the sunken part went on the bottom, and it came out looking okay. I used my odd little stump de Noel Bundt – perfect for a deep brown cake, I think.

It tastes decent, but the texture isn’t quite right. I’d say this cake deserves another chance.

• Gramercy Tavern Gingerbread (Gourmet, February 2000)