andsome's ginger cake

[andsome]

Have you ever wished that you could find a really good recipe for ginger cake? All the recipe's that I tried were not gingery enough. If I added more dried ginger the taste became bitter. I made several attempts at making my own recipe, and eventually hit upon the following. I have, to date made half a dozen or so, each one a winner, and have just passed a pleasant afternoon on a wet and miserable day, making two more. You may like to try my recipe.

ANDSOME'S GINGER CAKE

225 grm Self raising Flour

170 grm Butter

3 Eggs

1 x 350 grm Jar Stem Ginger ( Suggest Sainsbury)

2 Tea spoons Ground Ginger. Level or rounded to taste

4 Table spoons Black Treacle

1 Table Spoon golden Syrup

1/2 Tea spoon Salt

2 Rounded Teaspoons Baking Powder

2 Dessert spoons Syrup from Ginger Jar

1/ Grease and line two 1 lb loaf tins with paper approx 25mm above level of the tins. Baking paper or parchment is better than greaseproof paper.

2/ Chop the ginger using a food processor, leave it a little bitty rather than too mushy

3/ Sieve flour, salt and baking powder, and dried ginger.

4/ Cream the golden syrup, treacle and butter

5/ Using the food mixer add the eggs one at a time, beating well with the mixer, then add the dry ingredients and the ginger, mixing well, add a couple of teaspoons full of syrup from the jar, more or less according to consistency, Mix well.

6/ Share the mixture equally between the loaf tins and bake approx 55 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius, test with a skewer, and if necessary bake a minute or two longer.

It is recommended that while the cakes are baking, the spoon and food mixer beaters be thoroughly licked in order not to waste the ingredients.

[bvw]

It is recommended that while the cakes are baking, the spoon and food mixer beaters be thoroughly licked in order not to waste the ingredients

:D

Excellent andsome, ought to be "pinned" :)

[djohn]

Sounds delicious andsome, will try one during the week. Just one question, being the dummie I am! Grease and line the tin with paper [i understood that bit] Then you say preferable to use "Baking paper or parchment".

Do I grease the inside of that as well?

:dummies:

[andsome]

If you don't cook, get your wife or girl friend to try it

[artist]

Sounds delicious andsome, will try one during the week.  Just one question, being the dummie I am! Grease and line the tin with paper [i understood that bit] Then you say preferable to use  "Baking paper or parchment".

Do I grease the inside of that as well?

:dummies:

No you don't grease the paper - the heat will be enough to make the grease on the tin go into the paper - and ttherefore not stick.

Sounds go - I'll have a go too.

[djohn]

Thanks artist. Yes, I cook quite a lot and make a large variety of main meals, but only just recently started with pastry dishes and baking of cakes.

Up to know I have always used greaseproof paper, very lightly wiped with butter on both sides. That is why I was a little confused regarding using the other type of paper or parchment. Could have asked my wife, but thought I would surprise her and I didn't want to make a mess of andsomes excellent recipe. :(

[monkey]

mmmmmmmmm ginger cake

[Guest Grim Reaper]

or go to the supermarket and but a Lyons Ginger Cake......takes far less time!

[bvw]

or go to the supermarket and but a Lyons Ginger Cake......takes far less time!

....and I thought you supported home builds rather than off-the-shelf :D

[Guest Grim Reaper]

true but some home builds just dont match the quality of shop built! :rolleyes:

[-pops-]

Sounds good and I'll give it a go.

One thing you could try and don't be put off by this is to add chilli in the form of Tabasco sauce (least preferred) or Linghams or Encona Sweet Chilli sauce. You have to keep tasting the mix to determine the right amount but be careful as the heat seems to increase after cooking.

Got the idea from a Jamaican (I think) recipe for lemon and chilli biscuits. I'll look it out and post it.

[andsome]

I find that greaseproof paper even when greased tends to sick a little. I get baking parchment from Sainsbury's, and grease that lightly so that it sticks to the tin and makes it a little easier to handle. The stem ginger is also from Sainsbury's as they appear to be the only company that supply a 350 Gram jar. The cake comes out relatively light for such a cake, but the oven temperature and timing does appear to be critical. I have been trying to make a very heavy sticky type of cake like Jamaican Ginger cake, but have not yet achieved this. I also have an excellent recipe for a lemon drizzle cake if anyone is interested, but I cannot claim this recipe as my own. This cake has to be put into a COLD oven and then the oven is switched on.

[artist]

Thanks artist. Yes, I cook quite a lot and make a large variety of main meals, but only just recently started with pastry dishes and baking of cakes.

Up to know I have always used greaseproof paper, very lightly wiped with butter on both sides. That is why I was a little confused regarding using the other type of paper or parchment. Could have asked my wife, but thought I would surprise her and I didn't want to make a mess of andsomes excellent recipe.  :(

It's fine to do that too - the aim is not to have the cake stuck on the paper so that it all breaks up when you try to remove it - that's all.............. :)