Recipe | Gingerbread cake

Quick-to-make and delicious, this gingerbread cake is perfect with a cup of tea

This gingerbread cake recipe comes from allrecipes. I was a bit worried about using the boiling water, but clearly it’s a magic ingredient because the gingerbread cake turned out beautifully. The abundance of golden syrup makes this a sticky cake to make, but gives it its lovely golden colour and perfectly moist, chewy texture. The perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea or coffee, this gingerbread cake is ideal for elevenses or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

115 g / 4 oz butter (at room temperature) or baking margarine
100 g / 3.5 oz caster sugar
200 g / 7 oz plain flour
1 egg (I used large but medium would be fine)
175 g / 6 oz golden syrup
0.75 tsp bicarbonate of soda (aka baking soda)
0.75 tsp salt
0.5 tsp ground ginger
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
125 ml / 4.2 fl. oz boiling water

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C/ 160 degrees C fan/ gas mark 4/ 350 degrees F.

Line a baking tray with greaseproof baking paper. My tray measures 24 x 20 cm (approx. 9.5 x 8 inches). The original recipe calls for a 20-cm square tin (approx. 8-inch square).

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I did this in my stand mixer. I usually give it a couple of minutes until the mixture starts to pale.

Add the egg and golden syrup and mix until thoroughly combined. This recipe does call for a lot of golden syrup, as you can see from this picture:

In another bowl, sieve together the flour, bicarb of soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add these dry ingredients and boiling water to your wet ingredients alternatively, mixing after each addition.

Your final mixture will be quite runny – don’t panic!

Pour the gingerbread cake mixture into your prepared baking tray and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until risen, golden in colour and when a knife/skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The original recipe suggests baking for 35 to 40 minutes, so it may take longer in your oven.

Leave to cool completely in the tin, or slice and serve while still warm.

Store in an airtight tub in a cool, dry place. The gingerbread cake should keep in excellent condition for a few days and still be ok (but not quite as delicious) for up to a week after baking.