Stem Ginger Cake, something I’d love to bake, but something my husband was reluctant to eat because it has… ginger. Imagine how delighted I was when I saw that the signature challenge at Bake Off was ginger cake. Initially I wanted to make a big cake, like they did, but this week I’m baking all three challenges and that means too many desserts. So far I’ve made Maamoul, Arabic biscuits filled with date paste and walnuts & raisins paste. Those were amazing. I’m going to bake the biscuit showstopper today. I hope that will turn out ok.

I’ve decided to soak the stem ginger cake in the remaining syrup from the ginger. But, because it has a very gingery taste, I thought it will be better to soak the slices of cake just before serving them. This way, my husband can pour as much or as little syrup as he wants.
After I baked the cake and he tasted it, he actually enjoyed it. So, this is a cake I’m going to make again. I’m very happy with that. As with most of my bakes, I have to say that I’ve used less sugar compared to other recipes I found online. Neither me nor my husband thought more sugar was needed.

Ingredients for Stem Ginger Cake, approx. 6 servings:

– 200 g plain white flour
– 100 g unsalted butter
– 150 g golden syrup
– 100 g dark muscovado sugar
– 150 g stem ginger
– 200 ml semi-skimmed milk
– 2 free range eggs
– 1/2 tsp ground ginger
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
– ginger syrup from the jar, around 100ml

In the bowl of the food processor, put the flour, spices, and butter. Blitz until it resembles bread crumbs. Meanwhile cut the stem ginger in small cubes. In a saucepan, pour the golden syrup and toss in the sugar and the stem ginger. Put the saucepan over low to medium heat. Leave the pan on the hob until the sugar has dissolved, stir from time to time. Remove from heat and leave for 5 minutes to cool down.

While the sugar syrup cools down, beat the eggs with the milk in a bowl. After those 5 minutes are over, pour the egg mixture over the sugar syrup and stir with a wooden spoon. Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated. Now pour the syrup mixture over the flour. Blitz in the food processor for a minute, until the ingredients are incorporated. Do not overdo it. You can use a spatula to incorporate any stubborn bits of flour.

Preheat the oven to 180C or, for fan ovens, at 160C. Using an oil spray grease the cake tin and line with baking paper. I always spray some oil on the baking paper too. Pour the cake batter into the pan and put it in the oven to bake. Leave for 40 to 45 minutes.

After the cake is baked, remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool down for 10 minutes. Then transfer the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
Before serving, pour a teaspoon or a couple on top of the cake, according to your taste.

Have you ever made a stem ginger cake before? Do you soak it with the syrup or not?

Part of Bake Off Bake Along.