Cream butter and sugar, mixing well. Add egg and molasses; mix well.

Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture alternately with hot water, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating well after each addition.

Pour batter into a greased/floured 9 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes (test after about 25), or until cake tests done. Frost, if desired, or top with whipped cream or cool whip.

apple butter that she made in the fall in a huge iron kettle over a wood fire. It took all day and a lot of work, but she made the best applebutter in the world.

Here in Winchester, Va., I can get that same kind of applebutter just about anywhere. (We're the "Apple Capital of the World.")

By the way...try a peanut butter and apple butter sandwich instead of the usual pbj....it's wonderful!