Jamaican Ginger Cake Recipe

I love coming up with tasty recipes for everything from gluten-free goodies to refreshing drinks.

Mcvities Jamaican ginger cake has always been a favorite of many who have lived in England. Tearing open the packet, cutting off a slice... then out came the Birds instant custard and dessert were made. My sister-in-law when younger, used to buy a Ginger cake and just eat the whole thing to herself while walking around town. This is not recommended if you are dieting.

This cake has many happy memories for me and has also been a mission to get the right recipe that is something similar to the commercial one. The Mcvities brand is a guarded secret as to what quantities of each spice is used to give you that sunny Caribbean taste in a cake with a sticky topping.

While eating this dessert, you don't get the feeling that it is unhealthy. Ginger is an amazing spice, although used in many countries for medicinal use, in the U.K we had no end of ginger products, cakes, drinks and Ginger snap cookies (called biscuits in England) that we would munch our way through after a long day at school.

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Butter, at room temp
• 1/2 cup Molasses/algarobina
• 1/4 cup Honey
• 1/2 cup Brown sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 1/2 cup Natural plain yogurt
• 1 zest Of small lime
• 1 tsp Vanilla paste
• 2 Cups Plain flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• 1/2 tsp Mortons salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp Ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg

Let's Put the Mix Together

1. Preheat the oven to around 350F
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, honey, molasses & your sugar until smooth in texture. Add the eggs one at a time.
3. Add to the mix, lemon zest, vanilla and yogurt then continue to mix until combined together.
4. To the mix, add dry ingredients, and continue to mix until all ingredients are mixed evenly.
5. Place in a silicone loaf tin and bake for 55–60 minutes.

Jamaican Gingercake/Gingerbread

Put the sugar, molasses, honey & butter in a mixing bowl.

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Tips

• After about 40 mins check your cake by inserting a toothpick or thin knife to see if it comes out clean. Cook until the toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.
• Leave your Cake in the silicone tin until cooled before removing.
• Wrap the Jamaican ginger cake in aluminium foil and leave for 4 days before serving. This allows the cake to get moister & develop a sticky topping.
• Serve with plenty of hot vanilla custard or vanilla ice cream.
• Only buy small amounts of ground ginger as it looses its essential oils responsible for that nice warm taste.
• Use a paper cake liner in your cake tin to prevent sticking.

Ginger Facts

• Queen Elizabeth I invented the Gingerbread man, presenting them as gifts in the image of some of her most distinguished guests.
• Henry VIII recommended using ginger as a remedy for curing the plague.

© 2013 lemonkerdz

Comments

Dil Vil from India on March 24, 2013:

Great recipe, well organized article and well written as well. Good work! Pics are awesome, step by step process. Good read and good pics

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on March 22, 2013:

This cake improves with age. I am using ingredients available in Peru, not exactly how i would make it in England but still pretty amazing.

Thanks for comenting

Mary Wickison from Brazil on March 22, 2013:

I hadn't even thought about ginger cake since I arrived in Brazil. Now I remember how much I loved it. I will have to try to adapt your recipe to my available ingredients. Like yourself, it is one of my favorites.

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on February 03, 2013:

Be pround RTalloni i am with you all the way, ginger in desserts is my weakness i just love it. Thank you for commenting and pinning, hope you enjoy it.

RTalloni on February 02, 2013:

Maybe I have English roots for I love, love, love foods with ginger and this cake looks fabulous. Pinning to my Ways with Food board.

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on January 25, 2013:

You are too funny, lemonkerdz. : )

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 25, 2013:

Just do it vespawoolf, make one and sit and eat the whole thing. My sister inlaw found it very satisfying.

We had some last night with a bowl of vanilla custard, it was amazing. Leaving it wrapped a few days to form a sticky topping makes a big difference.

Enjoy :-)

Vespa Woolf from Peru, South America on January 25, 2013:

I've never had Mcvities ginger cake but after reading your description, I'm anxious to try this recipe. The balance of spices sounds just right! I like that it should be made ahead so the flavors blend and texture balances out. I'll try not to follow your sister's example and keep the whole loaf to myself! : )

lemonkerdz (author) from LIMA, PERU on January 25, 2013:

Your funny, but what a fantasic idea. I might just try it next time with a tod of rum in it.

The good thing with recipes is tweek it to your taste. If you like your liquor girl, go ahead, throw a glug in there.

You will be dancing around as if in a Jamaican carnival though.

Thanks for reading and soory to disappoint on the liquor :-(

Claudia Tello from Mexico on January 25, 2013:

Your description of this cake is really alluring and it looks very nice. When I read "Jamaican" I got curious so I made the click and read the hub. At first I thought it might have some rum in it....but nop. Excuse my ignorance but now I am still curious to know what is Jamaican about it?