In a small bowl, whisk a large egg with the vanilla extract.
Add the quarter-cup of molasses and whisk that in.
Add the cup and a half of water and whisk that in.
Combine the ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Stir them around until they're mixed.
Add the spice mixture to your egg mixture and whisk everything together until they're thoroughly combined.
In a larger mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.Mix them until they're well incorporated. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. The batter may be a little lumpy. That's okay. You'll stir it again before you fry it.
Chill for 2 hours to overnight
When you're ready to fry your pancakes, prepare your griddle or your frying pan by oiling it before you heat it, or using a mixture with equal parts of oil and butter.
Set your heat at MEDIUM-HIGH. You can test your frying surface to see when it's ready by putting a few drops of water on the surface. If the droplets of water skitter around and then evaporate, your pan is the right temperature to fry pancakes.If you're using a griddle, you may want to pour on your pancakes rather than use a spoon. Simply transfer the batter to a pitcher and use that to pour. If you'd prefer to dip a large spoon or a small cup into the bowl and transfer the batter to the griddle or the frying pan that way, that's fine, too. Fry your pancakes until they're puffed and they look a bit dry around the edges. If you look closely, little bubbles will form at the edges. If you're not sure they're done, lift one edge with a spatula and take a peek. It will be golden brown on the bottom when it's ready to flip.
Turn your pancakes and wait for the other side to fry. Again, you can test your pancake by lifting it slightly with a spatula and peeking to see if it's golden brown.
Serve with plenty of soft butter and your choice of honey, dark Karo syrup, or molasses. These Gingerbread Pancakes are also good buttered, spread with jam, and topped with a dollop of sour cream.
