This cake is one that you'll find your friends & family requesting more than once! It looks like a dense fruitcake, but it's so much better. It's soft and sticky, with a kick of ginger and satisfying chunks of apple. In short, it's absolutely addicting!
Any ginger lovers in da’ house?! We’re talking to YOU! This Sticky Ginger Cake is an absolute must-have for your next gathering, and it makes a good one to slice and share with any friends who might be quarantining. You could even bring it to the Thanksgiving dessert table - we love to offer something new alongside the traditional dishes, and this one may even overshadow Grandma’s Pumpkin Pie.
This is one of those cakes that gets better with time, so you can definitely make it a day or two ahead of when you plan to serve it. It’s also one of those things you can’t walk past without slicing off juuuuust a tiny sliver. It’s more-ish - sweet (brown sugar), sticky (dates), spicy (ginger) and ticks all those boxes your cake-loving tastebuds are looking for in a satisfying bake. I have to say, if I can’t have a vanilla cupcake piled high with frosting, this would be my next choice.
Did I mention that this comes together with a large pan and a wooden spoon? So the prep and clean up is quick, and it bakes for 1-1/4 hours which leaves you lots of time to have a cup of tea and catch up on that latest book you’re reading whilst you’re “baking”. xoxo Kirsty
Ingredients for 1 8-inch (20cm) cake
7oz. (200g) dates, pits removed
14 tablespoons (200g) unsalted butter
1-1/3 cup (300g) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1-3/4oz. (50g) fresh ginger root, grated
zest of 1 orange, finely grated
2 eggs
8oz. (200g) self-raising flour*
2 apples, peeled, cored and cubed
2oz. (60g) white chocolate
*If you don’t have self-raising flour at hand, add 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt to your all-purpose flour to make it self-raising.
Preheat the oven to 320F/160C. Butter and line an 8-inch (20cm) round cake tin with baking parchment.
Add the pitted dates to a bowl and cover with boiling water, set aside.
Heat the butter in a large pan until just melted. Stir in the sugar until combined and allow the mixture to cool a bit.
Meanwhile, grate the ginger and orange zest and add it to the sugar mixture. Drain the dates, then chop them finely, add them to the pan. Add the eggs and stir until combined.
Add the self-raising flour and apple chunks and give it one final stir.
Spoon the batter into the cake tin, place the tin on a baking sheet (this is important so as not to burn the bottom of the cake) and bake for 1-1/4 hours until it has risen and is a lovely deep golden brown color. Leave it to cool in the tin, your house will smell amazing!!
When completely cool, remove from the tin. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave at 30 second intervals, until just melted. If there are still some solids left, that's ok, just keep stirring until they have fully dissolved. Over-heating will cause the chocolate to seize and then you'll need to start all over again!
Use a teaspoon to drizzle the white chocolate across the cake in wide zig-zag movements. Allow the chocolate to harden before serving or storing. This keep well for up to 5 days, covered in cling film.
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