A cross between gingerbread and fruit cake, I can see these cake bars as a much simpler, easier-to-make alternative to a Christmas cake. Grab a glass of mulled wine and one of these, and your Christmas will get off to a great start!
This recipe started out with a recipe for a simple but delicious apple cake sent to me by a work colleague (= one of the many perks of being a food blogger – people want to share their yummy recipes with you!).
But then somehow, mostly in an effort to make the cake ‘more seasonal’, it morphed into these sticky apple and ginger cake bars!
A few years ago, you see, I found a Christmas cake recipe online that contained apple, dried fruit and ginger. It was gorgeously rich and moist, and a perfect much-easier-to-make alternative to a traditional Christmas cake. Now can I find this recipe again? Nope. I’ve searched online until my eyes ache and it seems to have just disappeared completely. I have a feeling I have a printed version hidden away somewhere in the boxes of books in our spare room that (blush blush) I haven’t managed to unpack in the two years since we moved to the UK.
One day I’ll dig out this recipe and make this amazing cake for you, but in the meantime these cake bars contain many of the same ingredients – so we’ll give them a go!
I was also attracted to this recipe as it’s one of those one bowl recipes that are really quick to throw together. You simply melt the wet ingredients together in a saucepan, and then briefly stir in the dry ingredients. You just need a few minutes to chop up your ingredients, but other than that it would be hard to come up with an easier cake.
This cake ends up as a sort of cross between gingerbread and a fruit cake. It’s moist with lovely apple pieces, a bit sticky from the syrup, and It’s got a nice gingery bite. It’s got a warming quality that’s perfect for handing around with cups of tea (or sneaky glasses of mulled wine) at Christmas.
Another thing I like about this recipe is that it doesn’t make too much. This might not sound like much of a selling point for you. Too much cake? Not possible! Most of the time though I find smaller batches to be better. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve taken ‘cake leftovers’ into work.
This makes you quite popular with your colleagues, of course, but I’d rather eat all the cake myself. LOL. Only kidding, oh wonderful work colleagues!
Sticky apple and ginger cake bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 pinch baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 stick butter
- 1/4 cup soft brown sugar
- 1/4 cup golden syrup (dark corn syrup in USA)
- 1.5 ounce ginger stem chopped (either in syrup or crystallized is fine)
- 1/2 cup dried fruit e.g. prunes, apricots, cranberries, raisins (chopped)
- 1 medium apple peeled and diced
- 1 egg whisked
topping (optional)
- 2 ounce white chocolate
Instructions
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Pre-heat oven to 200C / 390F and line a 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with baking paper.
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Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger together in a medium bowl.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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When cool (and the chocolate – if you’ve used it - is set), slice into 8 bars.
Recipe Notes
I adapted this recipe from a website called Best British Foods. Somehow though now as hard as I try I can NOT find the website or recipe again to credit it properly. Must be something about apple and ginger cakes - you find the recipes and then they disappear into thin air!
Will keep well in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
Rhubarb works as a good substitute for apple. Let me know if you try this recipe with rhubarb!
Why not save this to your dessert Pinterest board for later? 🙂
Would you like to follow me on Pinterest, too? I’m always pinning tasty food!
Eva says
01 Dec 16 at 8:23 amMoi aussi, je préféré ce type des gâteaux à la traditionnel bûche de Noël. J’aime tous les ingrédients que tu as mis dedans, il a l’air vraiment très très bon! A essayer d’urgence!
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:36 pmEssaie-les, Eva! 🙂
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
01 Dec 16 at 2:12 pmThese simple, easy, finger licking good cake bars sound WONDERFUL, Helen! The dried fruit, the apple, the fresh and candied ginger – wow 0 what a treat each mouthful of this must be – perfect with a cuppa coffee! Looking forward to seeing your Christmas cake recipe someday 🙂
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:36 pmThank you dear Shashi!! Really must try to dig that recipe out!
[email protected] says
01 Dec 16 at 2:56 pmThis is the kind of yummy cake I love this time of the year and I love your idea with mulled wine. I can imagine your kitchen smelled so festive and delicious while baking.
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:35 pmThat’s what I love the most about spicy Christmassy cakes – that smell!!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
01 Dec 16 at 9:51 pmI’m getting right into the holiday baking this year and love the looks of this cake! Apple and ginger go so well together 🙂
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:35 pmGood luck with all that baking, Denise! I bet your kitchen smells wonderful!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
02 Dec 16 at 9:49 pmNow this is my kind of cake! I’m not so much into those vanilla/chocolate cakes loaded with frosting (although those are good too), but my favorites are always spiced and/or contain fruit. They smell incredible as they’re baking and they’re always so moist and flavorful! And I love how you’ve taken a cake inspiration and turned them into these lovely little bars. Somehow that makes them more versitle throughout the day, i.e. enjoy with your morning coffee/tea, mid-day snack, or dessert 🙂
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:34 pmThank you, Kathleen! I wasn’t sure how popular a twist on fruit cake would be, but I for one have always enjoyed a good fruit cake! Hope you’re doing well!
mira says
03 Dec 16 at 4:49 amI always love your desserts Helen! This is a great combination! Pinned to try it!
Helen says
03 Dec 16 at 6:33 pmThank you Mira!
Emma Claire says
09 Dec 16 at 1:32 pmIt’s easy and delicious recipe. My kids will love this :). Thank you very much for your sharing!!!
Helen says
11 Dec 16 at 5:42 pmHello Emma. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I really hope you do give these a go – let me know how they turn out if you do!
Rita says
09 Oct 17 at 2:29 amJust made this, delicious. I’m using up a glut of apples so made double, was a bit short of crystallised ginger so used extra dried, and sultanas as i think go well with apples. No icing. Really quick as no creaming the fat. Cooked the bigger tin for 5 extra mins and then 5 more mins with the oven switched off, worked out fine. Am freezing a few bars for another week.
Highly recommended.
Helen says
09 Oct 17 at 7:47 pmSo happy you enjoyed these, Rita, and thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback. Always makes my day when someone has enjoyed one of my recipes!