Fluffy ginger cake with orange zest; a simple soft cake scented with ginger, cinnamon, and fresh orange.
Something that never leaves my mind or menu in the dark depths of winter is spices.
The sweet kinds, the savoury kinds, the kinds that work well with both. I can’t get enough of it when it’s cold outside.
Today’s simple little sponge cake is a celebration of that. A cosy collection of spices contained in every mouthful, perfect over the winter months.
That said, this is somewhat of a softer ginger cake to the kind you may be used to. Some of us love the hot crunch of gingerbread biscuits or the deeply dark stodge of a sticky ginger cake. However, others like things a bit lighter.
Prefer a recipe video? Watch me make this fluffy ginger cake here on my YouTube channel!
The fluffy ginger cake in front of you, laced with fragrant orange zest, is a gentler treat. It offers all the wonderful warmth of gingerbread or ginger cake, without the heavy treacle flavour. It is softly sweetened with a combination of sugar and syrup. White or brown, maple or golden, whatever your preference or kitchen cupboards dictate.
It’s a beautiful bake at this time or year, working well as a light treat or as a warm pudding. Enjoy it dusted with icing sugar beside a cup of tea, or hot with a dollop of custard.
Plus, I promise you (even if every food blog recipe promises you the same thing), this is one for even beginner bakers. Simply stir up the mixture, bake it, and slice it. No faffing around with hyper-precise timings or intricate decoration. This is a classic cake that pleases just as much as the fanciest pastry shop offering. You can find a full video to go with this recipe to show you each step right here on my YouTube channel.
I hope this fluffy ginger cake brings you as much festive joy as it has to us, and that you have a lovely holiday season.
Want to save this fluffy ginger cake for later? You can pin the image below:
To make this fluffy ginger cake, simply follow the recipe below:
Ingredients
- 200g (13 tbsp) soft butter or margarine
- 100g (½ cup) caster sugar or soft brown sugar
- 120g (⅓ cup) maple syrup or golden syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 200g (1 ½ cup) self-raising flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Zest of ½ an orange
- Pinch of salt
- Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven – 180 C / 160 C fan / 350 F / gas mark 4.
- Grease and line a 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 in) square cake tin.
- In a large bowl, beat together your soft butter and sugar for 2 minutes.
- Add the syrup and vanilla and whisk for a further 2 minutes
- Beat your eggs in one at a time until the mixture is fluffy.
- Tip in the flour, spices, zest, and salt and gently whisk in until JUST combined into a smooth cake batter. (Over-mixing can make your cake come out tough or chewy, and no one wants that!)
- Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and smooth over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. By this time the cake should be risen, and a skewer inserted into the centre should be clean when removed.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before removing and slicing into squares.
- Dust over some icing sugar (if using), and enjoy!
BE A MAVERICK: why not try add a few twists of black pepper for added warmth and flavour?
This fluffy ginger cake will keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days, but is best enjoyed fresh.
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