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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.
So why do I think you’ll like this sticky apple and ginger 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 this easy ginger cake 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 ginger and apple tray bake (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!
But I don’t live in the UK. 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)
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… OR TAKE A PHOTO AND TAG @scrummylane ON INSTAGRAM!
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Sticky apple and ginger cake
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click button below for grams & ml)
- 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.
Rita says
Just 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
So 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!
Emma Claire says
It’s easy and delicious recipe. My kids will love this :). Thank you very much for your sharing!!!
Helen says
Hello 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!
mira says
I always love your desserts Helen! This is a great combination! Pinned to try it!
Helen says
Thank you Mira!
Kathleen | Hapa Nom Nom says
Now 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
Thank 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!
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
I’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
Good luck with all that baking, Denise! I bet your kitchen smells wonderful!
[email protected] says
This 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
That’s what I love the most about spicy Christmassy cakes – that smell!!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
These 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
Thank you dear Shashi!! Really must try to dig that recipe out!
Eva says
Moi 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
Essaie-les, Eva! 🙂