Well as you well know, my family is Jamaican and there is nothing like a sit-down, a little ginger cake and a cup of tea, to bring my world into harmony. (How colonial British can you get!?)
So I made this cake for my family this Christmas and it was a hit. I think I will be making another soon, and freezing a couple for quick afternoon treats. Nothing like it when it’s raining and all you want is a little Jamaican heat and sunshine!
Jamaican Ginger Cake Recipe:
Ingredients
(This all American measurements…)
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1″ stem ginger
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp of ground cloves
1/8 tsp of ground allspice
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
5 tbsp milk
1/2 cup & 1 tbsp butter (Best with butter, but you can also use coconut oil)
1/3 cup & 1 tbsp black treacle
1/3 cup & 1 tbsp golden syrup
1/4 loosely packed cup dark soft brown sugar (or muscavado sugar or coconut sugar)
1/2 cup water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Method:
Preheat the oven to 325°F
Grease a large loaf tin with butter or hard margarine. Line the tin (both the bottom and sides) with baking parchment. Butter parchment also.
In a large bowl sift together the flour, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground cloves and ground nutmeg.
In a small bowl mix together the bicarbonate of soda and the milk.
Chop the stem ginger – I use an immersion blender attachment, but this can be done by hand.
In a medium saucepan, melt and mix together the butter, black treacle, golden syrup, sugar, chopped stem ginger and water. Do not let the mixture boil. allow to cool for a few minutes.
Using the paddle attachment in your mixer set to low speed (or a wooden spoon by hand) add the melted syrup mix to the flour and spices and stir in well.
Mix in the eggs a little at a time until combined.
Please note all these stages look a bit dodgy, but keep to the recipe and all will be fine.
Then add the milk & bicarb mix, and stir this in as well.
Pour the mixture into the tin.
Bake in the center rack for about 1 hr 15 mins – 1 hr 45 mins. Test with a toothpick for a light crumb bake.
Cool the cake in the tin for a few minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
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Hard to find ingredients:
Muscavado sugar: Amazon
Golden Syrup: World Market or British Corner Shop
Stem Ginger (or make your own!): British Corner Shop
