Easy to make Gingerbread Traybake with the flavours of dark treacle, golden syrup and Ginger Spice. Serve on its own, spread with butter, or as a dessert with custard or cream. Will keep for two to three weeks if well wrapped and will improve with age.
As Ginger Sponge cakes go this is one of the easiest to make. It's another recipe that I have adapted slightly from one of the units in Leith's cookery class that I took. Read through the recipe first to ensure you have all the ingredients and have your baking tin ready to prepare. I had to dash to the shops as I'd run out of Golden Syrup. That was my exercise for the day.
List of Ingredients.
You will find a full list of ingredients and quantities in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Or simply click the 'Jump to Recipe Card' at the top of the post.
This is a lovely rich flavoured recipe for Ginger Cake and here are a few notes about the ingredients. Some recipes add a dash of Cinnamon, but I've omitted it from this recipe. But if you like ground Cinnamon replace half a tablespoon of the ground Ginger with 2 teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon.
- Butter - Butter gives a better flavour. Margarine contains water and oils and you may get a different result. I'd like to know how you get on if you use Margarine.
- Sugar - Soft Dark Brown Sugar helps impart wonderful dark toffee flavours adding colour to the sponge. The nearest substitute is soft brown sugar. But the end result will be a lighter coloured Ginger cake.
- Black Treacle - Similar to Molasses in the USA. This gives a rich treacle flavour and deep colour to the baked cake.
- Golden Syrup - A light treacle adding flavour and colour to the cake
- Milk - I used Whole milk because of the fat content. Semi skimmed should be fine.
- Flour - Self Raising flour, containing a raising agent, is used in this recipe. If you plan on using plain flour UK (all purpose flour USA) you will need to add 2 x teaspoons of Bicarbonate of Soda.
- Ground Ginger - If you like the Taste of Ginger, use the full amount or tone it done to your tastes. Or as mentioned above, add a mix of Ginger and Cinnamon.
- Eggs- Medium size and at room temperature.
How to Make a Gingerbread Traybake.
Pre Heat the oven to 170°C (Fan Assisted). Grease and line the base and sides of a 30cm x 20cm baking tin with baking parchment.
Dissolve the butter, sugar, treacle and golden syrup in a medium sized pan over a medium heat. Occasionally giving it a gentle stir. Take off the heat and gently stir in the milk and leave to one side to cool.
In a large bowl, sift in the flour, salt, and ginger. Note: If using plain flour add the Bicarbonate of soda too.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the beaten eggs. Begin to stir the eggs, allowing the flour to draw in gently from the sides and incorporate into the eggs as you stir. Going in too heavy at this stage will create floury lumps.
As the mixture becomes thicker, add a little of the cooled melted butter and sugar mix to loosen it. Continue stirring until all the flour has been incorporated and all the liquid ingredients have been added. Ensure there are no lumps of flour left in the mixture. If needed use a hand help mixer to make things easier.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin, allowing it to find its own level. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 – 45 mins or until baked. Check for doneness after around 40 mins. TIP: Don’t be tempted to open the oven too early or the cake will sink in the middle.
To test if the cake is done, insert a cake skewer into the centre of the cake, it should come out clean. If needed return to the oven for a few more minutes and test again.
When the Gingercake is baked remove the tin from the oven and leave it to cool a little before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. If you try to slice it while still hot from the oven, it is likely the squares will crumble. A few cracks will not matter.
Storing and Keeping
Like Yorkshire Parkin, this Gingerbread Traybake will keep for up to 2 – 3 weeks if well wrapped and in an airtight container and often improves with keeping. Or eat half now and freeze the other half for another time. I'm having a tea party in a few weeks, saving the other half for then.
I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as I do. Please leave a comment below and let me know how you get on, especially if you decide to decorate your Ginger Cake with some kind of topping.
Gingerbread Traybake
Equipment
- 20cm x 30cm Baking Tin
INGREDIENTS
- 225 grams butter
- 225 grams soft dark brown sugar
- 70 grams black treacle
- 165 grams golden syrup
- 300 ml whole milk
- 350 grams self raising flour or 350g plain (all purpose) flour adding 2 teaspoons of bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger or to taste
- 2 eggs medium sized lightly beaten
Instructions
- Pre - Heat the oven to 170°C (Fan Assisted)
- Put the butter, sugar, treacle and golden syrup into a medium sized pan to dissolve over a low heat. Occasionally giving it a gentle stir. Take off the heat and gently stir in the milk and leave to one side to cool.
- Grease and line the base and sides of a 30cm x 20cm baking tin with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, sift in the flour, salt, and ginger. Note: If using plain flour add the Bicarbonate of soda too.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add in the beaten eggs. Begin to stir the eggs, allowing the flour to draw in gently from the sides and incorporate into the eggs as you stir. Going in too heavy at this stage will create floury lumps.
- As the mixture becomes thicker, add a little of the cooled melted butter and sugar mix to loosen it.
- Continue stirring until all the flour has been incorporated and all the liquid ingredients have been added. Ensure there are no lumps of flour left in the mixture. If needed use a hand help mixer to make things easier.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin, allowing it to find its own level. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 40 – 45 mins or until baked. Check for doneness after around 40 mins. TIP: Don’t be tempted to open the oven too early or the cake will sink in the middle.
- To test if the cake is done, insert a cake skewer into the centre of the cake, it should come out clean. If needed return to the oven for a few more minutes and test again.
- When the Ginger cake is baked remove the tin from the oven and leave to cool a little before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares. If you try to slice it while still hot from the oven, it is likely the squares will crumble.
Mary Shaw
Ive usedthis recipe quite a few times and it always comes out great.ive made it in the air fryer too.
Wayne
Sensational, I used margarine and it came out perfectly!
lynne
Delicious toned the ginger down like you said personal choice I think this might just be the first choice around bonfire night instead of the traditional parkin thankyou Lynn
Loving all your great recipes
Lynn
Not everyone can get hold of oatmeal to make the Parkin, so as you say, a good alternative for bonfire night.
Marie
hi Lynn,
The amount of ginger was perfect for us, and in fact the cake was perfect too - despite the big mistake ( the phone rang, and my husband dropped and broke two plates all at the same time) when I forgot to add the milk!!!! It was only when the cake was in the oven that I found the measured milk in the jug, unused. I left the cake in, (though I even thought of bringing it out and mixing the milk in in the hope of retrieving it) however, the cake was delicious, and a bit like a ginger brownie. So much so, I may leave out the milk again when I make it again. Thank you!
Lynn
Thank you for sharing your story. It just goes to show that even when mistakes are made, our baking still tastes great.
Ray
2tablespoons of ginger is that a lot?
Lynn
Hi Ray. Everyone's taste is different. In the main post, I do mention toning it down if you feel it's too much. I'll update the recipe card to reflect this.
Flour - Self Raising flour, containing a raising agent, is used in this recipe. If you plan on using plain flour UK (all purpose flour USA) you will need to add 2 x teaspoons of Bicarbonate of Soda.
Ground Ginger - If you like the Taste of Ginger, use the full amount or tone it done to your tastes. Or as mentioned above, add a mix of Ginger and Cinnamon.
Eggs- Medium size and at room temperature.
Susie
How do you measure out the syrup and treacle please?
Lynn
Hi Susie. I measure the syrup and treacle by placing the pan I'm using on my scales and add them until it comes up to the correct weight. I return the scales back to zero before adding the next ingredient.
You could also measure the syrup and treacle as mls in a jug then add them to the pan. It's exactly the same weight. But adding it to the pan directly is less messy.