Hello lovelies,
‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’
Do I start the first blogpost of every Christmas here on my blog with that song?… yes, yes I do. But, I’ll be damned if I care as it’s CHRISTMAS BAKING TIME BABY!
Ok ok, I know I’ll probably have people rolling their eyes and tutting at the fact I’m starting my Christmas content this early but I was just too damn excited not to share them with you. I may be 23 but guys, when it comes to Christmas, I’m 5 at heart and I know some of you are too. Therefore, I know the majority of you who read my blog will appreciate my Christmas baking starting on the 7th of November haha.
Anyway, of course I had to kick start my Christmas content off with a banger, how could I not? So, today I’m sharing with you this Sticky Gingerbread Cake which is one of the BEST yes BEST cakes I’ve made to date. I can’t tell you how stoked I am with this recipe.
It really is the perfect cake to kick start the Christmas season! So, if you’d like to know how to bake this cake yourself, my recipe is below…
Category: Desert / Sweet Treat
Serves: 8
Prep Time For Cake: 20 Minutes
Cooling Time For Cake: 1 Hour
Cook Time For Cake: 1 Hours
Prep Time For Gingerbread Men: 20 Minutes
Cook Time For Gingerbread Men: 12 Minutes
Decorating Time: 20 Minutes
Overall Time: 3Hours 12Minutes
Ingredients For Gingerbread Cake:
- 225g Of Caster Sugar
- 110g Of Sultanas
- 8tbsp Of Treacle
- 8tbsp Of Golden Syrup
- 75g Of Butter
- 250ml Of Water
- 1 Large Egg
- 300g Of Plain Flour
- 1 1/2tsp Of Bicarbonate Of Soda
- 1/2tsp Of Baking Powder
- 1tsp Of Mixed Spice
- 1tsp Of Ground Ginger
- 1/2tsp Of Ground Cinnamon
Ingredients For Buttercream:
- 150g Of Unsalted Butter
- 300g Of Icing Sugar
- 2tsp Of Vanilla Extract
Ingredients For Gingerbread Men:
- 350g Of Plain Flour
- 1tsp Of Bicarbonate Of Soda
- 2tsp Of Ground Ginger
- 1tsp Of Ground Cinnamon
- 125g Of Butter
- 175g Of Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- 4tbsp Of Golden Syrup
This gingerbread recipe makes alot!
Extra Ingredients (Optional)
- Bag Of Malteasers
How To Make Gingerbread Cake:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line a loaf tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 160C / 150C Fan / Gas Mark 4.
- Secondly, in a saucepan, place the 225g of caster sugar, 110g of sultanas, 8tbsp of treacle, 8tbsp of golden syrup, 75g of butter and 250ml of water.
- Melt the ingredients together in the saucepan, stirring continuously and bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes.
- Once boiled, remove from the heat and allow to cool for 1 hour.
- When cooled, beat in the egg (TIP: make sure it has cooled right down before adding the egg as it can scramble).
- Next, in a large bowl, add the 300g of plain flour, 1 1/2tsp of bicarbonate of soda, 1/2tsp of baking powder, 1tsp of mixed spice, 1tsp of ground ginger and 1/2tsp of ground cinnamon.
- Now, add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared baking tin and place into the oven for around an hour (TIP: if the top begins to look like it’s burning, place some cooker safe foil over the top). Place a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is baked.
- Once it’s baked, leave in the tin to cool for half hour before transferring onto a baking tray (TIP: don’t worry if the cake sinks a little in the centre, it’s normal for gingerbread to do so).
How To Make Gingerbread Men:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line two baking trays with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180C / 160C Fan / Gas Mark 3.
- In a large bowl, add the 350g of plain flour, 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda, 2tsp of ground ginger and 1tsp of ground cinnamon.
- Next, add the 125g of cold butter into the dry ingredients and using your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.
- In a cup, beat together the 1 large egg with the 4tbsp of golden syrup together.
- Add the egg mixture into the butter/dry ingredients mixture until the mixture clumps together.
- Now, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth.
- Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a 1cm thickness and using a gingerbread cutter (I used a really small one), cut out the gingerbread men and place them onto your prepared baking trays.
- Once all your gingerbread men are cut out and on the baking trays, place the baking trays into the oven and bake for around 12-15 minutes.
- When the gingerbread men is are baked, take out the oven and leave on the baking tray to harden before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
How To Decorate The Cake:
- In a large bowl, add 150g of unsalted butter and beat until smooth and lighter in colour.
- Next, little by little add the 300g of icing sugar until the buttercream begins to form.
- Now, mix in the 2tsp of vanilla extract.
- add a Wilton 6B piping nozzle (or any piping nozzle you have to hand, this is just the one I used) into a pre-cut piping bag. Then, place the buttercream into the piping bag.
- Twist the end of the piping bag tight and piping your buttercream length ways until the top of the cake is completely covered.
- Next, place 10 of the little gingerbread men standing upwards into the buttercream.
- In a bowl, crush a gingerbread man into crumbs and then sprinkle the crumbs over the top of the buttercream.
- Finally, sprinkle on some malteaser’s.
That’s your Sticky Gingerbread Cake prepared, baked, decorated and ready for you to enjoy!
This is just gingerbread heaven, isn’t it? That being said, if your worrying about the gingerbread in this cake being overpowering, don’t be! Honestly, it’s the perfect amount of gingerbread – not too strong but also not non-existent, it really is balanced beautifully.
I hope your as excited about the Christmas bakes as I am to share them with you. I promise I’ve got some real gems I’m sharing with you this year, I really think your going to love them.
Let me know in the comments below if you make this gingerbread cake yourself and if you do, what your thoughts are on it.
Sending you all tons of love & hugs as always,
Elle xo
That looks absolutely delicious and a very welcome change from fruit cake at Christmas. #yum
Author
Oh my days it’s just delicious, honestly it’s one of my favourite cakes I’ve ever made! I much prefer it to fruit cake I must admit. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
Elle, this looks worthy of a bakery window! What a perfect Christmas bake – I’d absolutely love to have a slice of that with a cuppa!
Author
Ah thank you so much! It really is the perfect Christmas bake, it’s just delicious, especially with a cuppa. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
Ellie this looks absolutely incredible!! You’re so talented but you’re a killer for my sweet tooth! You should sell slices of this, I bet they’d fly off the shelves!
Rosie
Author
Ah thank you so much, that means the world! It’s defiantly one of my favourite cakes I’ve ever made, it’s just delish. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
This looks amazing! It’s so cute, and has gotten me right in the festive mood. I’ll admit my baking skills are lacking so I doubt mine will look this good but here’s hoping it’ll still be tasty!
Author
I bet it will look amazing! honestly, this is so easy to make and the outcome is just delicious. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
That will be one popular cake Ellie! I know my boys would pick the gingerbreadmen when I am not looking 😀
Author
This is defiantly a popular cake in my household and I hope it will be in others too! Oooo my dads the same, I’ve seen him a couple of times sneaking a gingerbread man off the top haha. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
The cake looks great and the recipe seems pretty easy to follow, but how much of a difference would it make to not add sultanas? I’m not much of a fan of sultanas
Author
It really is so easy to make, really straight forward and the outcome is just delicious! Tbh I don’t think it’ll make much difference at all if you didn’t add sultanas, they are more of a added extra. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
Ooohhh….. gingerbread season is coming. I love gingerbread cakes and cookies. This cake looks lovely. Thank you for sharing.
Author
My favourite season! I’m the same, I love anything which has gingerbread in. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
Your Ginger Bread Cake is perfect for the holiday season. Love all the spices in your recipe. I am sure this sweet treat is delicious.
Author
It really is the perfect cake for the festive season! You know me, I do love a spice haha. It really is delicious. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
This looks tasty and I love the little gingerbread man watching over the cake:
Author
They are so cute aren’t they. They are super mini! Thank you so much for commenting Xo
Fab recipe! I love Christmas too haha (in my eyes it’s never too early for Christmas content) and I love gingerbread so this is absolutely perfect for me! Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it out x
Author
It really is the best time of year isn’t it? I may be 23 but I’m a child when it comes to Christmas haha. Gingerbread is the best isn’t it, so yummy. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
I love this festive scene Elle! I’m a big fan of gingerbread and Christmas so it’s never too early for me. Thanks for sharing!
Author
I just love the festive season haha, I thought it might be too early but I think people are loving it thankfully. I just love gingerbread! Thank you so much for commenting Xo
This cake looks so amazing & I love the gingerbread men decorations! I’ve made gingerbread cookies before, but it would be fun to bake a gingerbread cake!
Author
This cake is honestly delicious. If you love ginger I think you’ll love this. Ginger is just great isn’t it! Thank you so much for commenting Xo
This looks too delicious to eat! I can only imagine how good it tastes. It’s never too early for Xmas content (unless it’s still summer lol)
Thanks for sharing!
Loren | plaidandsugar.com
Author
I’m pleased I’m not to early haha, the festive season starts on November 1st for me! It really is the most delicious cake. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
What a fun idea for a holiday dessert! I love gingerbread and this sounds absolutely delicious, and it is cute too.
Author
It really is just perfect for the festive season! I absolutely love gingerbread too, so I think you’ll love this. Thank you so much for commenting Xo
This cake looks stunning and really love the cream on top and the gingerbread men! My sister would absolutely love it! She loves anything gingerbread so will have to show her x
Author
I think if your sister loves gingerbread, she’ll absolutely love this! It is a festive dream haha. Thank you so much for commenting Xo