Our Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Caramel Ginger Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 mins
25 mins
70 mins
Serves:
Makes 1 large family cake
This dish earned Rahul a 'Hollywood Handshake' in Season 9 of The Great British. Baking Show ™.
Make ahead: Cake layers can be made 1 day ahead, wrapped well
Serving: Best served at room temperature for optimal flavor
Key points for success:
Don't overmix the sponge batter once you add the flour
Make sure the caramel is properly cooled before adding to the buttercream
Chill the assembled cake before adding the caramel drizzle for cleaner lines
Ingredients
300g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
175g unsalted butter, softened
150g soft brown sugar
3 large eggs
4 tbsp black treacle
2 tbsp golden syrup
250ml whole milk
75g stem ginger, finely chopped
100g bonfire toffee, roughly broken into small pieces
CARAMEL SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
4 large egg whites
200g caster sugar
300g unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g caramel sauce (recipe below), cooled
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
200g caster sugar
90ml double cream
50g unsalted butter
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Instructions
CAKE
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and line three 20cm cake tins.
Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, all spices, and salt.
Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs one at a time, then black treacle and golden syrup.
Alternately fold in dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Gently fold in chopped stem ginger and cinder toffee pieces.
Divide between prepared tins and bake 25-30 minutes until springy to touch.
Cool in tins 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks.
BUTTERCREAM
Whisk egg whites and sugar in stand mixer bowl.
Set bowl over simmering water, whisk until mixture reaches 70°C.
Return to mixer, whisk on high speed until cool and thick peaks form.
Gradually add butter pieces while mixing until smooth and silky.
Beat in vanilla and cooled caramel sauce until combined.
SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE
Heat sugar in heavy-bottomed pan until deep amber caramel forms.
Remove from heat, carefully whisk in cream (it will bubble vigorously).
Stir in butter and salt until smooth.
Cool completely before using.
ASSEMBLY
Ginger honeycomb, broken into shards
Extra caramel sauce for drizzling
Method:
Level cake layers with serrated knife.
Place first layer on serving plate, spread with caramel buttercream.
Repeat with remaining layers.
Cover entire cake with remaining buttercream, smoothing sides and top.
Chill 30 minutes to set buttercream.
Warm reserved caramel sauce until pourable but not hot.
Drizzle caramel elegantly down sides using spoon or squeeze bottle.
Top with ginger honeycomb shards just before serving.
