My nana used to make this all the time when I went over to her house. It’s still holds a special place in my heart

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Beat in the molasses until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Slowly stir in the hot water until the batter is smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

For a denser and richer cake, you can use dark brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. If you’re a fan of fruit, add a handful of raisins or chopped dried apricots to the batter. For those who prefer a less intense ginger flavor, reduce the amount of ground ginger to 1 teaspoon. You can also spice things up by adding a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the dry ingredients.