I got a small cookbook in a Christmas gift exchange 27 years ago. "Prairie Recipes and Kitchen Antiques" contains "original recipes gathered from pioneer families at Wayside, Kansas, the site of the original Little House on the Prairie book."
It contains Laura Ingalls Wilder's Gingerbread recipe, with this comment:
"When Laura Ingalls Wilder grew up and lived in Mansfield, Missouri with her husband, Almonzo Wilder and their little girl Rose, Laura was famous far and wide for her gingerbread. In 1953 she gave the Horn Book Magazine permission to print her recipe, with wishes for good luck to all who tried it. Here, with the kind permission of the Horn Book, is the recipe for all to enjoy."
I've made this for years. The pan size is not mentioned, but it makes a nice big 9x13 inch cake. Grease the pan. I skip the chocolate frosting suggestion, but serve it with Cool Whip, vanilla ice cream or lemon sauce. A cream cheese frosting would also work with it, but I don't frost and just serve with one of the toppings I mentioned. It's an easy recipe. I usually just mix it up with a wooden spoon.
Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread
1 C brown sugar, blended with
1/2 C lard or other shortening
1 C molasses mixed well with this
2 teaspoons baking soda dissolved in 1 C boiling water. Be sure the cup is full of water after foam is run off into cake mixture; mix well.
3 C flour; add the following spices:
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sift all into cake mixture and mix well.
Add lastly, 2 well-beaten eggs.
The mixture should be quite thin. Bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes (350 degrees). Raisins or candied frut may be added and a chocolate frosting adds to the goodness.