All Ginger. No Fred.

But you can get your fill of Fred when you watch Holiday Inn this season [and you so should].And while you're under the influence of Bing, enjoy a wedge of this cakey goody from Cooking with Sour Cream and Buttermilk by the Culinary Arts Institute (c)'56:

Buttermilk Nut GingerbreadPrepare a 9x9x2-in cake pan [physically, not mentally - right?].
Coarsely chop and set aside
3/4 cup (about 3oz) pecans or walnuts
Sift together and set aside
2 cups sifted flour 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/4 teaspoon cloves
Cream until softened
1/3 cup butter
Add gradually, creaming until fluffy after each addition
2/3 cup firmly backed brown sugar
Add gradually, beating well after each addition, a mixture of
1 egg, well beaten 1/2 cup molasses
Measure
3/4 cup buttermilk
Beating only until smooth after each addition, alternately add dry ingredients in fourths, buttermilk in thirds, to creamed mixture. Finally beat only until smooth (do not overbeat). Blend in the nuts [sounds like something Snoop Dogg would say, eh?]. Turn batter into pan.

Bake at 350 degrees 35 to 45 min., or until cake tests done.

Cool; remove from pan as directed [by who? the kitchen dictator?]. To serve, cut into 3-in. squares. If desired, top each serving with Vanilla Cream Topping [don't worry, I've got your back here].

This gingerbread is classic, just like Holiday Inn. I got liberal [I am a flaming one] with the molasses, ginger and allspice, so it has just a little extra zing - if you like that sort of thing. And since I opted out of whipping up the Vanilla Cream Topping, I grabbed a fresh container of Cool Whip and added a teaspoon of vanilla plus a few shakes of cinnamon and ginger. Viola! Instant, fancy, fluff. As much as I adore gingerbread boy cookys, this light cake carries a lot of chutzpah - and would make a damn fine breakfast.