2 ½ cups flour

¼ cup cornstarch

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup milk

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups brown sugar

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°.  Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9×13-inch pan.  Whisk dry ingredients (except brown sugar) and spices in a large bowl.  Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.  Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces.  Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth.  Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until the batter is just smooth.  Add the brown sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds.  Pour batter into cake pan.  Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake’s center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn the cake onto a rack.  Let cool.