Sticky apple and ginger cake

Last Updated on 03 Mar 20

A cross between an easy gingerbread recipe and an apple tray bake, this apple and ginger cake is deliciously sticky. It’s one of those quick and easy one bowl cake recipes that the whole family will love. You can even make it as a simpler alternative to a Christmas cake!

This recipe started out with a simple but delicious spiced apple cake recipe sent to me by a work colleague. This of course is one of the many perks of being a food blogger – people sometimes want to share their yummiest recipes with you!

I was very happy because I once followed a Christmas cake recipe that contained apple, dried fruit and ginger. After I lost it, I searched online until my eyes ached, but I never found it.

I adapted my colleague’s apple cake recipe and came up with this similar but a bit stickier and more ginger-y cake.

Why will you like this cake as much as I do?

• It’s a one bowl cake recipe. Very quick and easy to throw together! (Melt the wet ingredients together in a saucepan, and then briefly stir in the dry ingredients.)
• It tastes something like a cross between gingerbread, a spiced apple cake, and a light fruit cake. It’s lighter and fluffier than gingerbread, but still moist, sticky, and ginger-y. In other words, delicious!
• You can make it for your family any day of the year, or drizzle white chocolate over the top and make it your favourite easy Christmas cake recipe! It’s got a warming quality that’s perfect for handing around with cups of tea (or sneaky glasses of mulled wine at Christmas).
• It’s a small batch recipe. There are pros and cons to this, of course. You may not have any cake leftovers to take into work, but you won’t be tempted to overindulge!

This ginger cake has got a warming quality that’s perfect for handing around with cups of tea (or sneaky glasses of mulled wine at Christmas)!

How to make this in just 4 easy steps

Step 1: Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, ground ginger) together.

Step 2: Melt the ‘wet’ ingredients (so butter, syrup, sugar) in a saucepan. Stir through the ‘dry’ ingredients plus stem ginger, apple and other dried fruit, plus a whisked egg.

Step 3: Pour into a small baking tin and bake for just 30 minutes.

Step 4: If you like, drizzle over a little white chocolate to make it look fancy!

What’s a good substitute for Golden Syrup?

Don’t worry – if Golden Syrup is difficult to get hold of where you live, dark corn syrup is a good alternative.

Alternatively, you can find it in on Amazon (affiliate link).

Protip: Try this recipe with rhubarb instead of apple. Sticky apple and rhubarb cake… Mmmm…

More easy snack cake recipes

• Addictive peanut butter cheerio bars
• No bowl chocolate pecan bars
• Banana sheet cake with peanut butter fudge frosting
• Rhubarb and ginger oat slices (healthy flapjacks!)
• Or see all of my cakes!

More apple recipes

• Easy apple cake (torta di mele) – for a SUPER quick and easy apple dessert!
• Healthy broccoli salad with apple and bacon (delicious!)
• Toffee apple chocolate bark (makes a perfect homemade gift!)
• Easy apple crumble pie (Dutch apple pie)

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Sticky apple and ginger cake

Deliciously sticky, fruity easy-to-make cake bars. They’re like a cross between gingerbread and fruit cake, and make a great easier alternative to Christmas cake.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Cuisine British

Servings (click to change) 8

Author Helen

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 pinch baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ stick butter
• ¼ cup soft brown sugar
• ¼ cup golden syrup (dark corn syrup in USA)
• 1.5 ounces crystallized ginger chopped (either in syrup or crystallized is fine)
• ½ cup dried fruit e.g. prunes, apricots, cranberries, raisins (chopped)
• 1 apple peeled and diced
• 1 egg whisked

topping (optional)

• 2 ounces white chocolate

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 200C / 390F and line a 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with baking paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger together in a medium bowl.
• Melt the butter, syrup and sugar together in a saucepan. Add to the flour together with the stem ginger, dried fruit, apple and egg. Stir it all together with a wooden spoon until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 30 minutes until risen and golden. Cover with foil half way through cooking to prevent over-browning.
• Optional: Melt the white chocolate in a jug in the microwave (in 30-second spurts – I find 3 times does it), then drizzle all over the cake.
• When cool (and the chocolate – if you’ve used it – is set), slice into 8 bars.

Notes

How long will this ginger cake keep?

for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. 

Can I make this cake with a different fruit?

Rhubarb works as a good substitute for apple. Let me know if you try this recipe with rhubarb!

I don’t know where to buy golden syrup in my country. What else can I use? 

Dark corn syrup works as a decent substitute for golden syrup. Or you can buy golden syrup on Amazon (affiliate link).

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 102mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 1gSugar: 33gVitamin A: 307IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let me know if you liked it!