Gluten-free Gingerbread Cake (flavorful holiday treat!)

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a 9”x13” pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients (flour through salt). Set aside.
2 1/2 cups (338 grams) flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. If using oil, you can just mix everything together with a big spoon.
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
Beat in the applesauce and the molasses in at medium speed until well combined. Then add in the egg.
1/2 cup (120 grams) unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup (344 grams) molasses, 1 large eggs
Once the egg is incorporated, add the water. Stir it in using a spoon to begin with (to prevent it from splattering everywhere) and if needed, switch to the hand mixer to get it totally combined.
1 cup (240 ml) hot water
Gradually beat in the dry mixture until no more flour streaks remain. You don't want any large lumps, but small ones are okay.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
It's fluffiest when warm. I like to microwave it for about 10-20 seconds to make it fluffy again before serving. Once the cake has cooled, you can cover and store it at room temp for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen.