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.
In your recipe you say set oven to 170 degrees but you don’t say whether this is for fan assisted or conventional heat. Can you clarify please.
I use a fan assisted oven. But between two ovens I’ve had to adjust the timing due to oven differences, adjust as you would normally a recipe for your oven.
So easy, didn’t both with the baking bowl…mixed it in the saucepan ?
Tastes delicious ?
My (your) Sticky gingerbread cake is so loved by all my friends and neighbours.
We live in Spain, and because of the summer heat we have to cook during the winter. The cake is light, sticky and full of aroma and earthiness of the ginger and cinnamon. I have increased the amounts of ginger from 2tsp to 6 tsp, and increased the cinnamon from 1tsp to 3 tsp. We like our cake with a little fire, as the Spanish would say ‘picante’.
Q. I’ve got some crystallised ginger can I put that in and how will it effect the flavour and texture of the cake. Also I have a fairly mild chilli plant, would you consider using some chillis.
I must go now, I’ve got two gingerbreads in the oven ready for checking.
Hi Paula, thank you for your words and I am so glad that you love the cake. I have used crystallised ginger in it in the paste and it was delicious go ahead and stir it in then enjoy the bites of ginger afterwards that will certainly add to the “picante” flavour. In terms of chilli I have no idea! But you could try it and get back to me I would love to know if that adds even more fire to it.
I cannot believe I haven’t reviewed this cake already. I came across your recipe about a year ago and have made it more times than I can count. It is an amazing recipe. I always half it and make 1 cake, I don’t have a big freezer, I cannot tell you how many people love this cake. I get asked to make it all the time. I have never, or will never buy a shop bought, very famous, Jamaican cake again as this one is so much better. I absolutely love it with a little butter, all year round, and also as a dessert with custard in the winter time. I highly recommend people to give this recipe a try they will never look back. Lately I have added a little more ginger as I prefer it quite strong. The cake is so delicious thank you.
I’m so glad that you love it as much as I do. It is one of my favourite cakes to make and taste delicious as a loaf cake or dessert with custard.