Sticky Gingerbread Loaf Cake Recipe
One of our family’s favourite loaf cakes to bake is a sticky gingerbread cake. It reminds me of Christmas whatever time of the year we have it and this recipe is so simple. It makes two 2lb gingerbread loaves one of which we freeze and have at a later date. As it’s so moist it also lasts really well and is a perfect treat for having with a coffee and a book on an afternoon or evening. So here we go we’re sharing with you our traditional sticky gingerbread loaf cake recipe.
Sticky Gingerbread Cake
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If you’ve never had a tradition gingerbread loaf then you’re in for a real treat and have been missing out.
Unlike Gingerbread Cookies this is really moist and rich, and is the perfect way to make the house smell fantastic as you cook.
To make the best of the cake you really need to have the right ingredients and it’s made with 2 that I stock up in time for our Christmas baking black treacle and golden syrup.
How to Freeze the Ginger Cake Loaves
This is one of the best things about this recipe that it can be frozen. This recipe makes two loaves. Once which we eat now and the other goes in the freezer to pull out later.
Once you have baked the ginger cake in a loaf tin leave it to cool.
Once fully cooled, it’s time to wrap in greaseproof paper, then foil and put in the freezer.
When you want that extra treat.
Bring it out of the freezer and leave for around 3hrs to defrost. Just before serving I like to warm up it slightly.
So switch on the oven at the lowest heat and put it in for around 15 minutes. This will finish the defrosting and also warm it up slightly then it’s ready to share with family and friends.
Equipment Needed for Making the Ginger Cake
As said this recipe makes two 2lb cakes so I make ours in a 2lb loaf cake tin with a greaseproof liner this helps to keep it fresh as well making the washing up easier and ensuring that the cake doesn’t stick to the sides of the loaf pan.
I also use a large mixing bowl for some reason I’ve never made this cake in my stand mixer as it’s a much more liquid cake batter than you may be used to.
Sticky Gingerbread Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 2lb Loaf Pan
- Bowl
- Loaf Pan Liners
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
- 125 g Dark Brown Sugar
- 200 g Golden Syrup See notes on weighing Golden Syrup and Black Treacle
- 200 g Black Treacle See notes on weighing Golden Syrup and Black Treacle
- 2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 250 ml Semi-Skimmed Milk
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 2 tbsp of warm water
- 300 g plain flour All-Purpose Flour in the USA
Instructions
- Preheat the over to 170C
- In the saucepan melt the butter, sugar, golden syrup, black treacle and spices.
- Once melted remove from the heat and add in the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate of soda.
- Stir to combine all liquid ingredients together.
- In a large mixing bowl sieve in the flour.
- Now pour in the liquid ingredients.
- Mix the mixture well until thoroughly combined.
- Line a 2lb loaf with a loaf pan liner.
- Pour half the batter into the loaf pan liner.
- If you have another tin do the same. If not wait till 1 cooks then repeat filling and cooking again.
- Bake for 45minutes to 1hr until it's risen and firm. You want it to be sticky so better to test it at the hr point.
- Set aside to cool and if needed make the 2nd gingerbread cake loaf.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
More Cakes to Bake
We love baking cakes so why not try a couple of the other cake recipes we have and check out our cake board on Pinterest.
The recipe for our traditional farmhouse fruitcake also doubles up as a last-minute Christmas Cake Recipe and is alcohol-free.
If you love oranges then our Marmalade Loaf Cake is delicious. It’s sticky like this gingerbread but is full of lovely orange flavours.
Hiya, a quick question please.
If I only wanted to make one loaf is it okay to just half the mixture or will it affect the taste and texture? I’ve made it before and it was lovely but just don’t need so much cake this time! Or if prepare the mix as per the instructions and bake it all in one tin to get a taller bake, would that work? Thanks
I’ve halved it before, and used a bigger tin you can also use it in a square tin as well – I googled dimensions for similar cakes pans and found that our square tin was the perfect size. I can’t recall what size it is though I’m sorry.
Have tried a few gingerbread recipes over the past couple of years as my original one from 45 years ago has gone missing! Finally, I have found one that ticks all the boxes and very closely matches my old one. It was dark; it was rich; it was certainly sticky; it was moist, and it actually tasted of ginger!! Admittedly I also added in a few crystals of Whitworth’s Fiery Crystallised ginger – the result was WOW! It had a real ‘kick’. My husband was ecstatic. Haven’t seen him as enthused about anything for a long time. (haha)
Over the years I have had numerous disagreements with people about the benefit of using Golden Syrup as well as Treacle in the recipe…..I always did, as that to me gave it its sticky texture, but I seemed to be on my own where that was concerned. Regardless, I will continue to include the syrup, despite being told I was wrong. The proof of the pudding and all that!! Where gingerbread is concerned, my hubby is an expert and it just ‘has to be right’. It was a great hit. FAB-U-LOUS. Thank you, my mojo has returned. Raring to go again!
THANK YOU so much for this it’s still my favourite cake to make and the stickness is the perfect. I’m now going to have to add some of the crystallised ginger next time I make it to see what that adds to it.
Love, love, love this cake. It is the best sticky gingerbread loaf I have made and I have tried a few. It never fails and tastes devine, better than one famous shop bought one! A friend asks me to make it all the time. Love it on its own, or sliced with a little butter or warm with custard. Thank you for this fab recipe.
I agree about the better than a famous shop bought one it’s still my favourite to make.
Absolutely Fabulous! I’m fortunate I am able to get hold of Black Treacle and Golden Syrup. It is so moist and my neighbour Juana, puts hers in the freezer to share when her family when they visit from Granada. I put additional ginger in, but I like a lot of spice! Thank you!
This is so great to hear. I’m glad that you all love it as much as we do.
This looks delicious! But before I make it I would love to know what the carbs are for one serving. Can you tell me?
Hi, thank you for asking I’ve now added the nutritional information for the approximate servings – of course this will depend on how big a slice you decide you would like.