These little beauties remind me of McVities ginger cake, except the gooey stuff is at the bottom of the cake and not on top! McVities ginger cake is one of the few cakes that I will happily buy, it never lets you down.
The ginger squares are packed full of flavour and are totally addictive. You don't have to leave this cake to mature, thank goodness, and it has a wonderful soft texture. I love crystallized ginger and this is used in the cake batter as well on top of the icing for decoration.
The lemon icing tastes delicious and partners the ground ginger and cinnamon in the sponge cake.
If you own a coffee shop then I would definitely try this one out, its really easy to make and sure to be a winner.
This book is brimming with beautiful traybakes such as Plum Frangipane Slices, Chocolate, Pear and Macadamia Nut Brownies and Chewy Whisky, Date and Pistachio Bars. If you love baking, this would be a wonderful addition to the bookshelf.
The author is Liz Franklin who writes for magazines such as BBC Good Food Magazine, Olive and Food & Travel.
BROWNIES AND BARS by Liz Franklin
ISBN 1840914157 - Page 77
Makes 15 - this recipe can easily be halved.
You will need: a buttered and parchment paper lined deep roasting tin or a cake tin measuring 20 x 30cm/8 x 12 inches.
If you halve the recipe ingredients you will need a 18 x 18cm/7 x 7 inch cake tin.
320g plain flour, 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 180g butter, 100ml milk, 250ml soured cream, 2 eggs, 400g muscovado sugar, 6 pieces crystallized ginger (roughly chopped), 100g sultanas.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl.
3. Place the butter and milk in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Pour into the flour mixture and stir well until thoroughly combined. Add the soured cream and eggs, and then stir in the sugar, ginger and sultanas. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or so, until firm but springy.
4. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out. Cut into squares.
For the Icing:
300g icing sugar, zest and juice 1-2 lemons, 15 pieces crystallized ginger (to decorate).
To make the icing: mix the icing sugar, lemon zest and enough lemon juice to give a thick pouring consistency and carefully ice the cakes. Decorate each one with a piece of crystallized ginger. Store in an airtight container.
The ginger squares are packed full of flavour and are totally addictive. You don't have to leave this cake to mature, thank goodness, and it has a wonderful soft texture. I love crystallized ginger and this is used in the cake batter as well on top of the icing for decoration.
The lemon icing tastes delicious and partners the ground ginger and cinnamon in the sponge cake.
If you own a coffee shop then I would definitely try this one out, its really easy to make and sure to be a winner.
This book is brimming with beautiful traybakes such as Plum Frangipane Slices, Chocolate, Pear and Macadamia Nut Brownies and Chewy Whisky, Date and Pistachio Bars. If you love baking, this would be a wonderful addition to the bookshelf.
The author is Liz Franklin who writes for magazines such as BBC Good Food Magazine, Olive and Food & Travel.
BROWNIES AND BARS by Liz Franklin
ISBN 1840914157 - Page 77
Makes 15 - this recipe can easily be halved.
You will need: a buttered and parchment paper lined deep roasting tin or a cake tin measuring 20 x 30cm/8 x 12 inches.
If you halve the recipe ingredients you will need a 18 x 18cm/7 x 7 inch cake tin.
320g plain flour, 2 tablespoons bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 180g butter, 100ml milk, 250ml soured cream, 2 eggs, 400g muscovado sugar, 6 pieces crystallized ginger (roughly chopped), 100g sultanas.
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and spices into a large bowl.
3. Place the butter and milk in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Pour into the flour mixture and stir well until thoroughly combined. Add the soured cream and eggs, and then stir in the sugar, ginger and sultanas. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or so, until firm but springy.
4. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out. Cut into squares.
For the Icing:
300g icing sugar, zest and juice 1-2 lemons, 15 pieces crystallized ginger (to decorate).
To make the icing: mix the icing sugar, lemon zest and enough lemon juice to give a thick pouring consistency and carefully ice the cakes. Decorate each one with a piece of crystallized ginger. Store in an airtight container.