20-30 minutes prior to baking, set out your butter and egg. This will make the butter soften, and allow your egg to blend together better when mixing.

Combine flour, soda, salt and spices in a small bowl. Give it a whisk until all ingredients are blended together, and then set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together softened butter and brown sugar. This will take 2-3 minutes.

Add room temperature egg to creamed butter and sugar, and blend. Then add molasses and vanilla, and whisk again until all ingredients are creamy. *Note- I find it easier to measure molasses if i spray the measuring cup with cooking spray first. This makes the molasses come out of the measuring cup, easier.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and the kefir to the wet ingredients, until all ingredients are added and batter is creamy.

Preheat the oven to 350, and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes prior to baking.

Pour the batter into a greased 6" pan, and place on top of a cookie sheet in the oven. (I find it makes it easier to place/ remove from the oven, as well as catch any batter if it overflows.)

Bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes in pan.

Remove cake from pan on to baking rack to cool completely before frosting or serving.

Frost with a buttercream or cream cheese frosting, and sprinkle with cinnamon, and/or top with candied nuts.

To make as cupcakes, use a 3 tbsp (#20) large scoop to fill a lined muffin tin. This recipe should make 9- 10 cupcakes. Bake for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, then drop the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 12 minutes. Remove muffin tin from oven, and place individual cupcakes on a rack to cool. (I don't recommend leaving the cupcakes in the tin to cool.)

To frost cupcakes- I used a 1.5 tbsp (#40) small scoop to dollop on the frosting, then used an offset spatula to spread the frosting. I sprinkled them with a cinnamon and sugar blend.

To make as a bundt - Double the recipe ingredients and bake in a greased 8-12 cup bundt pan. (I simply used cooking spray. Remember to spray the inner tube as well.) Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes (if baking in a 12 cup pan.) Standard bundt pan cooking times range from 35-55 minutes, depending on how much batter you have in the pan.

Once the cake is full cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then gently invert the pan onto a baking rack to allow it to compleetly cool. (You may to loosen the sides of the cake with a knife before flipping it over.

Once cake is fully cooled, cover with powdered sugar or your preferred glaze.