1. Make the Gingerbread Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch (23×33 cm) cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
In another large bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, and hot water until smooth.
Add eggs and vanilla extract, whisking until combined. Make sure the mixture isn’t too hot before adding eggs to avoid scrambling them.
Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until smooth. The batter will be thin.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
2. Prepare the Butterscotch Sauce:
In a medium saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the butter.
Add brown sugar and salt, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then whisk in the whipping cream. Let it boil for a minute until well incorporated.
Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
3. Serve:
Slice the gingerbread cake and serve warm with a generous drizzle of the butterscotch sauce. Optionally, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra decadence.