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Recipe

Serves

10 1×

Serves 10 slicesPrep 20 minCook 50 minTotal 1H10 min

Ingredients

  • 150 g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin
  • 100 g golden syrup
  • 50 g black treacle
  • 100 g dark brown soft sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice
  • 120 ml whole milk
  • 100 g stem ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 170C conventional or 150C fan. Line a 900 g loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter, golden syrup, treacle and sugar together in a pan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  4. Whisk the flour, ground ginger and mixed spice in a large bowl. Pour in the syrup mixture and the milk, and beat until glossy.
  5. Fold in the chopped stem ginger and 2 tbsp of its syrup.
  6. Pour into the tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a skewer comes out with only a crumb or two attached.
  7. While warm, poke small holes over the top and drizzle with extra ginger syrup.
  8. Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

Sticky Ginger Loaf Cake

Sticky ginger loaf cake with stem ginger and a light syrup drizzle on a cream plate

Sticky ginger loaf cake is packed with stem ginger and warming spices, finished with a ginger syrup drizzle that keeps every slice moist for days.

Sticky ginger loaf cake is dark, moist and loaded with chopped stem ginger. Golden syrup and black treacle keep it sticky for days, and a ginger syrup drizzle soaks into the warm loaf. The flavour deepens overnight, making it ideal to bake a day before serving.

Texture

sticky (adjective): holding moisture and a glossy surface through the addition of syrup. In this loaf, golden syrup, black treacle and stem ginger syrup provide that quality.

The crumb should be moist and close-textured, not wet in the centre. Chopped stem ginger adds small, distinct pieces throughout. The syrup poured over the warm loaf settles into the surface as it cools.

Preparation

Prepare the tin and measure the dry ingredients before starting the syrup mixture. Once melted, the butter, golden syrup, treacle and sugar cool quickly. Having the flour and spices ready makes it easier to combine the batter while the syrup mixture is still fluid.

Ingredients for sticky ginger loaf cake arranged on a pale surface

Use a 900 g loaf tin lined with baking paper. The tin should be ready before the batter is mixed, so it can be filled promptly and placed in the oven.

Recipe

JUMP TO RECIPE

Servings: 10 slices
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Tips

  • Have the flour weighed and ready before melting the syrup mixture. The mixture cools quickly.
  • Check the centre with a skewer. It is the last part of the loaf to set; a few crumbs may cling to the skewer, but wet batter indicates that more baking time is needed.
  • Drizzle the extra ginger syrup over the loaf while it is warm. The holes allow it to soak into the surface.
  • Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning it out. This gives it time to firm up.
  • Once completely cold, wrap the loaf tightly. It stays sticky for 4 days.

Storage

The flavour deepens overnight as the syrup settles through the crumb. For that reason, baking the loaf a day before serving is suitable when time allows. Keep it wrapped tightly once cold. For longer storage, freeze slices individually for up to 3 months, as noted below.

Slices of sticky ginger loaf cake showing a moist crumb with stem ginger

Variations

  • Add the grated zest of an orange to the batter.
  • Ice the cold loaf with lemon icing for a sharp contrast.
  • Replace the stem ginger with chopped crystallised ginger and 1 tbsp syrup.

FAQ

Can I make it without treacle?
Replace the 50 g treacle with another 50 g golden syrup. The colour will be lighter and the flavour milder.

How sticky is it on day one?
The loaf is good on day one, but day two is better as the syrup distributes.

Can I freeze it?
Yes. Wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 3 months.

Why did it sink in the middle?
Underbaking is a common cause. Too much raising agent can also affect the loaf’s structure. Check the oven temperature with a thermometer.