Description
This Caramel Ginger Cake combines the warmth of ground ginger with rich caramel flavor, layered between moist, spiced cake sponges and topped with a fluffy caramel ginger buttercream. Perfect for festive occasions or a special dessert, this 20-serving cake offers a delightful balance of spice and sweetness with a decorative finish of caramel sauce, sprinkles, and biscuit crumbs.
Ingredients
Cake Sponges
- 300 g unsalted butter
- 300 g light or dark brown soft sugar
- 300 g golden syrup
- 300 g black treacle
- 600 g self-raising flour
- 4 tsp ground ginger
- 4 medium eggs
- 400 ml whole milk
Buttercream
- 400 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 800 g icing sugar
- 50 g caramel
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- 100 g caramel sauce
- Sprinkles
- Biscuit crumbs
Instructions
- Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) and line three 8" (20 cm) cake tins with baking parchment to ensure easy removal after baking.
- Make the Caramel Ginger Mixture: In a pan, gently heat the unsalted butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and black treacle together until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the self-raising flour and ground ginger to ensure even spice distribution.
- Mix Batter: Pour the cooled caramel ginger mixture into the flour and ginger. Stir gently to combine, then add the eggs and whole milk. Mix until you get a smooth batter without lumps.
- Fill Cake Tins: Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake tins, smoothing the surface with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the tins in the oven and bake for 35 to 40+ minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool completely in their tins before removing.
- Prepare Buttercream: Beat the room temperature unsalted butter on its own for a few minutes until soft and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar, ground ginger, caramel, and vanilla extract while continuing to beat. Beat for about five minutes until the buttercream is light, fluffy, and perfect for piping.
- Assemble the Cake: Place one cake layer on a serving plate and pipe a third of the buttercream evenly on top using your preferred piping tip. Repeat with the second layer and buttercream, then top with the final cake layer.
- Decorate: Use the remaining buttercream to pipe decorative accents if desired. Drizzle caramel sauce over the cake, then sprinkle with biscuit crumbs and colorful sprinkles to finish the look.
Notes
- Ensure the caramel mixture is cooled before adding to the flour and eggs to avoid cooking the eggs prematurely.
- Self-raising flour contains baking powder; no additional leavening agents are necessary.
- The cake tins should be evenly sized for uniform baking layers.
- For storage, keep the cake refrigerated due to the dairy in the buttercream; bring to room temperature before serving.
- Adjust the amount of ground ginger in the buttercream if a milder or stronger ginger flavor is preferred.
