Shoo fly pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe, and this cake is the same thing without the pie crust. Sometimes some of the liquid escapes under the crust to make a pudding layer which is just heaven. It doesn't have eggs in it in case you were wondering.

1 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, not too soft
1 cup molasses (can use part corn syrup or pancake syrup)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup boiling water

Combine the brown sugar, flour and salt. Cut in the butter to make fine crumbs - the food processor is great for this. Press 1/2 of the crumbs in the bottom of a 9 by 9 inch square baking pan (or two 9 inch pie pans). Combine the molasses, baking soda, and boiling water. It will foam a little bit. Pour this over the crumbs. Sprinkle on the rest of the crumbs. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is somewhat set in the middle, but not totally. Good with vanilla ice cream or a little whipped cream if you have it.



We like it best warm, so zap each serving it 15 seconds in the microwave, but it's good cold.

If you want to make a pie, just assemble as above in a couple of unbaked pie shells and start in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes then turn the heat down to 350 degrees until the filling is almost set.

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