Dark Jamaican Gingerbread

1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 30 minutes
to cook

This cake, originally from the sugar-and-spice island of Jamaica, has sadly become a factory-made clone, but made at home it’s dark, sticky, fragrant with ginger – the real thing.

The Delia Online Cookery School: Watch how to make more loaf cakes including Very Fruity Irish Tea Cake and Marmalade Cake win our Loaf Cakes lesson. Just click the recipe image to play.

A picture of Delia's Cakes

This recipe is from Delia's Cakes.


  • method
  • Ingredients

Method

Begin by placing the tin of black treacle (without a lid) in a saucepan of barely simmering water to warm it and make it easier to measure (see this recipe for weighing treacle).

Sift the flour and spices into a large bowl, then mix the bicarbonate of soda with the milk and set it on one side. Now measure the black treacle, golden syrup, sugar and butter into a saucepan with 75ml of water, heat and gently stir until thoroughly melted and blended – don’t let it come anywhere near the boil and don’t go off and leave it!

Next add the syrup mixture to the flour and spices, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon, and when the mixture is smooth, beat in the egg a little at a time, followed by the bicarbonate of soda and milk. Now pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake on a lower shelf so that the top of the tin is aligned with the centre of the oven for 1¼–1½ hours until it’s well-risen and firm to the touch. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out.

If possible, store it in a cake tin, still in its lining, for 24 hours before eating, and serve it cut in thick slices spread with butter.

You can see more Loaf Cakes in our Online Cookery School Video

Additional

Pre-heat the oven to 170C, gas mark 3

Using a fan-assisted oven? Click here

Equipment

You will need a Delia Online 1lb Loaf Tin (or a standard 2lb loaf tin), lined with a 1lb Bake-0-Glide loaf tin liner.  The different sizes mentioned are correct - click here for more details

The Delia Online bakeware range is now available online, and you can buy our Delia Online Loaf Tin direct from Silverwood.

Click here for the tin

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