Spicy Fresh Ginger and Treacle Tea Cake with Orange Icing
This cake is extra moist and rich with a spicy kick from the fresh ginger. The orange icing creates a beautiful contrast against the dark treacle-coloured cake.
FRESH GINGER AND TREACLE CAKE
50 grams fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
50 grams crystallised ginger ½ cup canola or soybean oil ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons treacle ¼ cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons firmly packed, brown sugar
1 large egg ½ cup boiling water 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup + 2 tablespoons plain flour ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
GINGER SYRUP SOAK
1 small thumb fresh ginger, thinly sliced
½ medium orange, rind peeled into strips
¼ cup brown sugar
ORANGE ICING:
1½ cups icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons freshlysqueezed orange juice
TO DECORATE
25 grams crystallised ginger, roughly chopped (optional)
dried edible petals, to decorate (optional)
EQUIPMENT: Grease a 10cm x 22cm loaf tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Preheat the oven to 160°C regular bake.
FRESH GINGER AND TREACLE CAKE: Pulse the fresh ginger and crystallised ginger in a mini food processor to form a coarse paste. Alternatively, finely grate the fresh ginger and finely chop the crystallised ginger. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, treacle, both sugars and the egg. Combine the boiling water and baking soda together in a separate jug, then pour into the sugar mixture and whisk well until combined. Add the pulsed ginger mixture, flour, cinnamon, salt and mixed spice and whisk together, until combined, smooth and no lumps of flour remain.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and bake on the lowermiddle oven rack for 35-40 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean, and the cake should spring back to the touch. While the loaf bakes, make the ginger syrup soak.
GINGER SYRUP SOAK: Put the ginger, orange rind strips, brown sugar and ¼ cup water in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the syrup for 1 minute, then take off the heat. Cover with a lid and set aside to infuse. Once cooled, remove the pieces of ginger and orange peel and discard.
Using a skewer, poke about 20 holes through the hot loaf. Evenly pour the ginger syrup over the loaf and leave to cool completely in the tin.
ORANGE ICING: Put the icing sugar in a medium bowl, with 2 tablespoons of the orange juice. Mix together, until combined and smooth. Add more orange juice if needed, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a thick but drizzle-able consistency.
ASSEMBLY: Pour the icing over the top of the cooled loaf, allowing the icing to naturally drip down the sides (you may not need all of the icing). Decorate with the chopped crystallised ginger and dried petals, if desired. SERVES 68