My dad's favorite gingerbread cake

I remember as a kid, we would go up home to narrows virginia at christmas, to vist my daddy's people. My Great Aunt Elgie would alway make my dad a gingerbread cake. My dad is no longer with us, but I still make  my  Great Aunt's gingerbread cake in remembrance of daddy, and my hubby loves it too.

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1 cup molasses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 inch square pan or bundt pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
3. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool  on a cake rack  before serving.