Description
A moist and fragrant sticky ginger loaf cake infused with warming spices, stem ginger, and a rich honey and treacle glaze. Perfectly tender with a deliciously sticky crumb, this cake is an ideal treat for cozy afternoons or festive occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 200g butter, plus extra for the tin
- 100g honey
- 100g black treacle
- 2 balls of stem ginger from a jar, chopped, plus 2 tbsp syrup
- 225ml milk
- 1 egg
Dry Ingredients
- 275g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Tin: Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 2-litre loaf tin with baking parchment to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal.
- Melt Ingredients: In a small pan over low heat, combine the butter, honey, black treacle, chopped stem ginger, and ginger syrup. Stir gently until the butter has completely melted and the mixture is well combined.
- Cool and Add Milk: Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Then pour in the milk and leave the mixture to cool further for about 15 minutes to prevent cooking the egg when mixed.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: While the wet mixture cools, sift together the self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and ground ginger into a large mixing bowl. This ensures even distribution of leavening and spices.
- Combine Mixtures: Pour the cooled milk and ginger syrup mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a light texture.
- Add Egg: Beat the egg lightly, then stir it into the batter until fully incorporated.
- Fill Tin and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, indicating the cake is cooked through.
- Cool: Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing or serving.
Notes
- Ensure the milk mixture is cooled before adding to prevent curdling when combined with the egg.
- Using stem ginger syrup adds extra moisture and flavor; do not discard.
- For a more intense ginger flavor, you can increase the ground ginger slightly.
- Store the cake in an airtight container to maintain its moistness for up to 3 days.
- This cake pairs wonderfully with a spread of clotted cream or a cup of strong tea.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: ginger loaf cake, sticky cake, honey cake, British baking, ginger cake, spiced cake, teatime cake
