Name: Jamaican ginger cake
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 120g unsalted butter softened, plus extra for the tin; 285g plain flour; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp mixed spice; 1 tbsp ground ginger; 200g light brown soft sugar; 2 eggs; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 80ml stem ginger syrup (from a jar of stem ginger), plus extra for the top; 50ml honey; 110ml coconut milk

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Jamaican ginger cake

Jamaican ginger cake

April Jackson

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Serves 8 - 10

Easy

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 1 hr - 1 hr and 20 mins

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.19 ratingsRate

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Bake this sticky, spicy cake using ingredients that historically thrived in Jamaica – best enjoyed with an afternoon cup of tea

Nut-free

Vegetarian

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Jamaican ginger cake is a rich, moist cake known for its warm, spiced flavour and dark, caramel-like colour. Rooted in Jamaica’s colonial history, where British and African culinary influences mingled, it originally became popular for its use of ginger, molasses and dark sugar – ingredients that thrived on the island. Originally baked in hearth ovens, the cake became a symbol of home comfort and celebration. Today, it embodies the island's vibrant flavours and cultural heritage.

Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

120g unsalted butter

softened, plus extra for the tin
285g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp ground ginger
200g light brown soft sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
80ml stem ginger syrup

(from a jar of stem ginger), plus extra for the top
50ml honey
110ml coconut milk

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Nutrition: (10)

kcal367
fat13g
saturates8g
carbs56g
sugars25g
fibre1g
protein5g
salt0.49g

Method

step 1

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with baking parchment. Mix the flour, bicarb, baking powder, mixed spice, ginger and ½ tsp fine salt in a bowl.
step 2

In a separate bowl, tip in the butter and sugar and beat together using an electric whisk, until smooth and fluffy, 3-5 mins. Add the eggs, vanilla, stem ginger syrup, honey and coconut milk and beat until evenly mixed.
step 3

Tip in the dry ingredients and gently fold the batter until no streaks of flour remain, taking care not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr - 1 hr 20 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove and brush over a little stem ginger syrup. Leave in the tin until completely cooled, then serve in slices. Will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.

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A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.19 ratings

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