Description
This vegan ginger loaf cake is a moist and flavorful treat, packed with warming ground ginger, sweet muscovado sugar, and zingy stem ginger. Topped with a tangy lemon and ginger syrup icing and extra slices of crystallised ginger, it makes a perfect cozy snack or dessert that’s entirely plant-based.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 100ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
- 275g self-raising flour
- 150g dark muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 50g treacle
- 50g stem ginger from a jar, finely grated
- 170ml cold water
Icing and Decoration
- 150g icing sugar
- 1 tsp ginger syrup (from the stem ginger jar)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 4 crystallised stem ginger pieces, sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Tin: Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Grease a 900g loaf tin (approximately 19 x 9 x 6 cm) with vegetable oil and line it with a long strip of baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, dark muscovado sugar, baking powder, and ground ginger thoroughly to distribute the spices and rising agents evenly.
- Add Wet Ingredients and Mix: Add the vegetable oil, treacle, finely grated stem ginger, and cold water to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture until it becomes smooth and well combined without lumps.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Place it in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out clean when the cake is cooked through.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 5 minutes to set. Then transfer it onto a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring a perfect texture for icing.
- Prepare the Icing: Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of the ginger syrup from the stem ginger jar. Gradually stir in enough freshly squeezed lemon juice (about half a lemon) to form a thick, pourable icing that will coat the back of a spoon.
- Ice and Decorate: Place the cooled cake on a serving plate or stand and remove the baking parchment. Drizzle the lemon and ginger icing evenly over the cake. While the icing is still wet, scatter the sliced crystallised stem ginger pieces on top for extra flavor and decoration.
- Serve: Slice the cake into thick pieces and enjoy as a delightful vegan treat perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
Notes
- Ensure the cake is fully cooled before icing to prevent the icing from melting off.
- You can substitute stem ginger in syrup with fresh ginger finely grated, but it will alter the sweetness and texture slightly.
- For extra moistness, cover the cake with foil halfway through baking if it browns too quickly.
- This cake keeps well stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: vegan ginger loaf cake, ginger cake, vegan baking, ginger loaf, plant-based cake, muscovado sugar cake, cozy dessert
