Gingerbread, that dark, spicy, sticky cake we all know from childhood which we probably hated but trust me, once you’ve tried this recipe, you’ll be making it again and again. I’ve two versions of Gingerbread and as much as I’ve tried to take bits from both recipes to create one ultimate Gingerbread recipe, I can’t as I like both! So, I’ll be uploading the second recipe soon and calling it “Sticky Spicy Gingerbread 2”. It’s perfect for a cold autumn or winter day snuggled up in front of a roaring fire and a good film, the only accompinament, a steaming cup of tea.
Gingerbread is so easy to make and so versatile and by that, I mean you can just make it and leave it in a container for up to a week (best kept in a fridge after day 3) because the longer you leave it, the stickier it gets. I’ve adapted this recipe from one I found in an old copy of Good Food Magazine and I’ve been making it for over 10 years. Whenever I make it now, it just brings back many fond memories of when I was making them in batch – a whole day spent making Gingerbread for a yearly event in Pinner where we live.
Once you’ve made the cake, cover it in foil and leave it for at least a day or two before eating, it gets dark and sticky just how gingerbread should be. Remember not to open the oven door for a peak as the cake will sink but don’t be surprised if it dips a little in the centre after baking, that’s normal. This cake will need the full hour in the oven, it may need 10 minutes more depending on your oven.
Get your ingredients out and ready so you can see them in front of you, grease your tin in readiness. I usually find pumpkin puree in Waitrose but make sure you get it before October as it seems to vanish around Halloween and buy 2-3 tins, they have a really long shelf life so you’ve always got some handy.
The ingredients.
So easy, the butter, sugar and treacle melt together in a pan over low heat.
This is stem ginger in sweet syrup.
Measuring spoons like these above make are an essential kitchen item and give precise measuring. Below, the mix should look like this, dark and spicy almost like chocolate.
The finished mix.
In the tin and ready for baking.
It’s normal for the cake to dip slightly in the middle.
You can see how how dark and sticky the Gingerbread is – just how it should be. Enjoy with a steaming cup of tea preferably in front of a roaring fire!
SPICY STICKY GINGERBREAD
Do not open the door while baking, will need a full hour in oven, maybe 5-10 minutes more. The cake is best left at least a day or two before eating when it get super sticky and rich. Keep covered in a container in the fridge after day 3, keep for up to a week.
Ingredients
- 250g butter
- 250g dark brown muscovado sugar
- 250g black treacle
- 300ml whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 375g plain flour
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp allspice
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 100g glace ginger from a jar Waitrose and Sainsbury's stock this.
- 1 grated zest from an orange
- 2 tsp instant coffee
Instructions
-
Butter and line a 23cm square baking tin or shallow roasting tin 20x30cm in size. Heat oven 160C (140C fan) gas mark 3.
Put the butter, sugar, coffee and treacle into a saucepan and heat gently for about 5-10 minutes until melted. Stir in the milk and allow to cool until just warm.
Beat the eggs together and add to the melted sugar/treacle/butter mix.
In a large bowl, add all the dry ingrediens - spices, flour and soda. Chop the ginger into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients, add the grated orange zest. Mix together and make a well in the centre.
Gradually pour in the liquid (butter/treacle mix) that should be warm not hot and slowly incorporate into the dry ingredients until thoroughly combined, it should resemble batter.
Pour into prepared tin and place in the centre shelf of the oven and bake for an hour. DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR UNTIL AN HOUR, test with a skewer, if it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it needs any longer, just five minutes at a time should be enough but as long as skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in tin for an hour. Turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely. When completely cold, wrap in foil and leave for a day or two at least. Cut into brownie size squares and transfer to a container. Enjoy with a steaming cup of tea preferably in front of a roaring fire!!!
Recipe Notes
This cake cuts into about 12-16 pieces, about the size of chocolate brownies. The cake is so rich, you really don't need a lot. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.
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