Mary Berry Stem Ginger Cake Recipe

This Mary Berry Stem Ginger Cake Recipe delivers a dark, sticky sponge infused with black treacle, warming mixed spice, and nuggets of fiery stem ginger. Topped with a zesty ginger syrup icing, it is the ultimate comforting traybake for a cozy afternoon tea or a bonfire night treat.

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Mary Berry Stem Ginger Cake Ingredients

The Traybake Sponge:

• 225g (8oz) Margarine: Softened. Mary often uses baking spread for a lighter texture in traybakes.
• 175g (6oz) Light Muscovado Sugar: Provides a caramel-like sweetness.
• 200g (7oz) Black Treacle: The key to the dark color and deep, licorice-like richness.
• 300g (10oz) Self-raising Flour: The structural base.
• 2 tsp Baking Powder: Ensures a good rise despite the heavy treacle.
• Spices: 1 tsp mixed spice and 1 tsp ground allspice for aromatic warmth.
• 4 Free-range Eggs: For binding and richness.
• 4 tbsp Milk: To loosen the batter.
• 3 pieces Stem Ginger: Finely chopped, from a jar in syrup.

The Ginger Icing:

• 75g (2½oz) Icing Sugar: Sieved to remove lumps.
• 3 tbsp Stem Ginger Syrup: Taken directly from the jar for intense flavor.
• 3 pieces Stem Ginger: Coarsely chopped for decoration.

How To Make Mary Berry Stem Ginger Cake

1. Prep the Tin: Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F / Gas 3. Grease a 30x23cm (12x9in) traybake tin. Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment to line the base and sides, ensuring it fits neatly into the corners.
2. Measure and Mix: This is an “all-in-one” method. Measure the margarine, muscovado sugar, treacle, flour, baking powder, spices, eggs, milk, and finely chopped stem ginger into a large mixing bowl. Tip: Weigh the treacle directly on top of the sugar to prevent it from sticking to the scale pan.
3. Beat the Batter: Using a hand-held electric mixer (or a sturdy wooden spoon), beat the mixture for about two minutes. You want it smooth, glossy, and well-blended, but be careful not to overbeat once combined.
4. Bake: Scrape the batter into the prepared tin using a spatula to get every drop. Level the surface gently. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when it springs back when pressed lightly in the center and starts to shrink away from the tin’s sides.
5. Cool: Allow the traybake to cool in the tin for a few minutes. Lift it out using the paper, peel off the lining, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Ice and Decorate: In a small bowl, mix the sieved icing sugar with the ginger syrup until smooth and spreadable. Pour over the cooled cake, spreading it to the edges with a palette knife. Sprinkle the coarsely chopped ginger over the top. Let the icing set before slicing into squares.

Recipe Tips

• Treacle Handling: To make measuring treacle easier, dip your spoon in hot water or coat it lightly with oil before scooping; the treacle will slide right off.
• Ginger Size: Chop the ginger for the batter finely so it distributes evenly. Chop the ginger for the topping coarsely so you get a nice textural bite.
• Oven Temp: This cake has a high sugar content (treacle/muscovado), so the low oven temperature (160°C) is crucial to prevent burning before the middle is cooked.
• Storage: Like most gingerbreads, this cake becomes stickier and more flavorful if wrapped in foil and left for a day or two before eating.

What To Serve With Stem Ginger Cake

• Lemon Tea: The citrus cuts through the rich treacle flavor.
• Custard: Serve warm slices with hot custard for a pudding-style dessert.
• Whipped Cream: A dollop of unsweetened cream balances the sweet icing.
• Blue Cheese: Surprisingly, a slice of sharp Stilton pairs wonderfully with the sweet, spicy cake.

How To Store Stem Ginger Cake

• Room Temperature: Store in an airtight tin. It keeps exceptionally well for up to 1 week, becoming moister over time.
• Freezing: You can freeze the un-iced cake. Wrap tightly in cling film and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and ice before serving.

Mary Berry Stem Ginger Cake Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Fat: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 50g
• Sugar: 35g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated per square.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry​ Boiled Fruit Cake Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Buttermilk Pancakes Recipe
• Mary Berry​ Cherry And Coconut Cake Recipe