Try this scrumptious sticky ginger cake recipe next time you need an easy sweet bake! It's got that lovely gooey top that just makes you want to take a bite! Perfect for an afternoon snack, after school snack or dessert.
This deliciously sticky sweet and spicy ginger cake is a recipe that always reminds me of my childhood. Ginger cake was a regular cake in our house and I especially loved the sticky bit on top of the cake.
Is there a name for the sticky top of a ginger cake? I don't know but there should be. This whole cake is really moist and tasty and the sticky surface of the cake especially is impossible to resist.
It is definitely a cake that needs nothing doing to it. No decoration. You could drizzle it with ginger syrup or even caramel but it's just not necessary. This ginger cake is good enough exactly as it is.
Is this a healthy ginger cake?
In looks this ginger cake is very similar to the carrot cake I made a couple of weeks ago. I managed to claim the carrot cake was fairly healthy as far as carrot cakes go.
Unfortunately I can't claim the same for this! But, as long as you cut it into small squares to serve, it really doesn't feel so bad. And anyway, we all need a treat sometimes.
What ingredients do you need for this cake?
For this cake you'll need self-raising flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, soft brown sugar, golden syrup, butter, milk and an egg.
Do you need any special equipment?
You don't need much equipment to make this ginger cake recipe. You'll need:
- a 20cm square cake tin. I use one with a loose bottom so it's easy to get the cake out
- Baking paper
- A saucepan
- A wooden spoon
- A large mixing bowl
Can you adapt this ginger cake recipe?
I wouldn't adapt this cake much at all. It's fairly light with a great moist texture and just the right amount of sweetness. And I'll mention it just one more time. It's got the best gooey sticky surface ever!
However, you can vary the spices. Play around with the spices you like and don't worry about the exact quantities of ginger, cinnamon or mixed spice. If you don't have one of the spices, just use a little more of one of the others.
Sometimes I use mainly ginger but at other times I use mainly mixed spice. It still works really well and tastes delicious.
How long does this cake keep for?
This ginger cake should keep well in an airtight container for up to five days.
Can you freeze this sticky ginger cake?
Yes, if you want to freeze this cake, wait until it has cooled completely after you've baked it. Wrap it up well in greaseproof paper and put it in a freezer bag.
It can be frozen for at least three months. Take it out of the freezer and defrost at room temperature for a few hours before eating.
The inspiration for this ginger cake
I made this sticky ginger cake as part of a baking challenge and it is adapted from Step-by-Step Baking by Caroline Bretherton. I love this book and have made so many recipes from it.
If I ever want to make something I haven't made before and need a basic recipe as a starting point, it's a great resource.
More ginger recipes!
I love ginger and have so many recipes that use it. Here are just a few of them:
Recipe
Ginger Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 110 g unsalted butter at room tempterature
- 110 g soft brown sugar
- 200 g golden syrup
- 200 ml milk
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170C. Line the bottom of a square 18cm cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides.
- Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large mixing bowl.
- Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and milk into a small saucepan and heat gently until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved.
- Pour the liquid from the saucepan into the mixing bowl with the flour. Whisk well and then beat in the egg too.
- Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Test with a skewer and bake for a bit longer if it comes out wet.
- Turn the cake out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this ginger cake or any of my other recipes. I love to get feedback from readers.
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Shinda
Love this ginger cake, it was so easy to make. And taste amazing i put in extra ginger.
Reccomend it to anyone to make it.
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you liked it Shinda! Thank you for letting me know and for the lovely feedback.
Corina
Catherine
Have made lots of ginger cakes. This is possibly one of my favourites. And the fact it’s quite simple to make with simple ingredients is an added bonus. Only tweak I made was I increased the ginger from 2 teaspoons to 5. I like a warm ginger cake and felt the extra ginger gave that warmth. Excellent recipe, highly recommended.
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased to hear you like it! I will have to try it with extra ginger next time I make it too.
Sylvia ppParker
I too tried this recipe, but by mistake I used 3tspns instead of 5 types and 2 stem ginger and some juice, also with gluten free flour, moist and delicious, but I think I must add just a little bit more xantham gum instead of a pinch, it is a delicious cake.
Corina Blum
Hi Sylvia, thank you for trying it. I'm really pleased you liked it and that your adaptations to make it gluten free worked well too.
Corina
Hilary
I have made this and it was absolutely delicious. I was wondering if it can be adapted to be gluten free.
Corina Blum
Hi Hilary, I'm so pleased you like this ginger cake. I'm afraid that I am not an expert at gluten free baking. I know there is quite an art to getting the texture just right so I would probably go to a site that specialises in gluten free baking if I needed a gluten free cake. Why not check out The Gluten Free Alchemist? I know she has quite a few ginger cakes and spends a lot of time testing her recipes too
glamorous glutton
A really gooey looking spicey cake sounds delicious and it looks great too. A real teatime gem. GG
Couscous & Consciousness
Swoon - I love ginger cake - all that giner flavour, and the richness of golden syrup - it's one of my favourite things.
I used to not be a baker too, but I have definitely been baking a lot more lately and getting more comfortable with it.
Thanks for sharing this at Cookbook Sundays.
Sue xo
kitchen flavours
This looks good! I bet it smells wonderful! Would be lovely with a cup of tea!
Nicole
I love spice cake and this one looks extra good!
Libby
I think it looks and sounds great...I love gingerbread, and this looks really similar 🙂
Lyndsay Wells "The Kitchen Witch"
This looks absolutely delicious as does your Thai beef salad and blueberry muffins. Looking forward to following you as you have some great recipes!
Patsy
Corina, this is very similar to our gingerbread...but instead of golden syrup, we us molasses. I love it. Patsy
Andrea Gyimesi
Is it more gooey with treacle?
Treat and Trick
Thanks so much for your sweet comment! Love this fabulous cake with ginger!
shuhan
I remember reaching for five spice instead of cinnamon once when I made apple cake. Turned out quite good in the end haha! I see your ginger cake has turned out beautifully(:
Corina
I can imagine five spice and apple could be quite tasty!
Lauralovescakes
Hi Corina,
Thanks for stopping by my blog! I've just been having a look at some of your lovely recipes! This ginger cake looks great...I love mixed spice too, sounds delicious, looks a little like golden syrup cake! 🙂
Laura
Tandy
I often run out of spices as well 🙂 I must start doing this challenge soon!
kdonkey
I agree with frugalfeeding - looks and sounds good. Brought a smile on my face about the health aspect because it always seems to be a constant battle when writing about food 🙂
Dominic
it looks GLORIOUS!... I love it, very soft and airy... and I adore Ginger Cake... it's making me hungry for some now!... I love the way is looks to bright on top too... very appealing... thanks so much for taking part this month, always nice to celebrate with as many people as possible!... the blog is looking very swish by the way x
Corina
Thank you Dom
Abraham Sunu Chacko
love this and would love to try it.. bookmarked
frugalfeeding
Ginger or not, it looks delicious. A spicy cake is all that's really necessary!