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Sticky Jamaican Ginger Cake

This indulgent Jamaican ginger cake is not only incredibly easy to make but also possesses the remarkable quality of improving with time. It's dark, sticky, moist, warming and oh-so-comforting!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 24
Calories: 274 kcal
Course: Dessert , Snacks
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 450 grams plain flour
  • 2½ tablespoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 220 grams butter if using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
  • 190 grams dark brown sugar
  • 300 grams golden syrup
  • 300 grams black treacle
  • 375 millilitre milk or 388g if you want to weigh it
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 100 grams stem ginger (optional) or 6 pieces from an Opies jar.

Instructions

Prepping
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/338°F/gas mark 3. Line a rectangular baking tin measuring approximately 33cm x 23cm with baking paper.
  2. If you are using stem ginger in the recipe, finely chop it with a sharp knife and set it aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, sieve the flour along with the ground ginger, ground cinnamon, allspice, ground nutmeg and ground cloves.
  4. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl and give them a quick whisk to break them up.
Make the cake
  1. Add the butter, dark brown sugar, golden syrup and black treacle to a saucepan.
  2. Over a low, gentle heat, melt all the ingredients together. Don't bring it up to a boil, you simply need to heat it enough to melt the butter.
  3. Begin by adding the milk first to temper the hot liquid and then incorporate the eggs and bicarbonate of soda. When adding the bicarbonate of soda, sprinkle it evenly over the surface while whisking to prevent clumping.Thoroughly whisk the mixture to ensure everything is well combined.
  4. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the flour, mixing thoroughly after each addition, resulting in a wet, pourable batter.
  5. Give the batter a final whisk using an electric hand mixer or by hand. If you're using stem ginger, add it now and gently fold it in.Please note that the stem ginger may sink somewhat to the bottom of the cake, even if you've coated it in flour to stop it from sinking. It's still a delicious addition!
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and place it on the middle shelf of the preheated oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake starts to pull away slightly from the sides and the middle feels firm yet springy to the touch.
  7. Allow the cake to cool in the baking tin for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack.
  8. Slice the cake into squares and enjoy it with a robust cup of coffee.

Notes

  • Consider investing in a reliable digital kitchen scale and high-quality measuring spoons to ensure precise ingredient measurements. Accuracy plays a crucial role in achieving cake perfection!
  • Remember to allow fridge-cold eggs to reach room temperature before baking. Cold eggs can't blend as smoothly into the batter. Room temperature eggs contribute to creating tender and evenly rising cakes.
  • You can achieve this by removing the eggs from the fridge about 30 minutes beforehand or placing them in warm water for 5 minutes.
  • When you're adding the bicarbonate of soda, just sprinkle it gently across the wet ingredients while you keep whisking. This way, it won't clump together if you dump it all at once.
  • If you do end up with clumps of bicarbonate of soda in the mixture, you can use a stick blender to blend them away. Just focus on the clumps until they're all mixed in.
  • If you're using stem ginger in the recipe, it's best to chop it into very fine, small pieces to help prevent the chunks from sinking in the wet cake batter.
  • Since the batter for this Jamaican ginger cake is quite thin and pourable, solid pieces like stem ginger tend to settle on the bottom as the cake bakes.
  • Chopping the stem ginger into tiny, minced bits helps minimize this issue. The smaller and lighter the ginger pieces are, the less likely they'll be to sink down through the thin batter.
  • Additionally, after chopping the stem ginger finely, toss the pieces in a bit of flour.
  • Get to know your oven's quirks. If it runs hotter or cooler than expected, tweak your bake times and temperatures accordingly.
  • Trust your eyes and perform visual tests, like checking for springy tops and using a cake tester as indicators of doneness.
  • When uncertain, it's always safer to bake lower and slower, within reason.

Nutrition Information

Calories 274kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.3g Cholesterol 42mg (14%) Sodium 215mg (9%) Potassium 261mg (7%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 30g (60%) Vitamin A 286IU (6%) Vitamin C 0.04mg (0%) Calcium 99mg (10%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 274

% Daily Value*

Calories 274kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g 3%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.3g 15%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 215mg 9%
Potassium 261mg 6%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 30g 60%
Vitamin A 286IU 6%
Vitamin C 0.04mg 0%
Calcium 99mg 10%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.