A few weeks ago I purchased a beautiful loaf tin, which is actually made of tin, as part of my graduation present. I’ve been so excited about using it, but for some reason didn’t actually get round to doing so until today. However, it turns out that it works just fine – I have already decided what my next loaf cake shall be. This is a favourite recipe of Katherine’s grandmother, Ena, who lives in Sunderland; though I think the recipe was originally taken from an old Be-Ro cookery book. Wherever it comes from it is utterly delicious and incredibly dense and sticky; just how gingerbread ought to be. Just remember that any cake recipes those of a certain age make use of are generally sound, simply because they’ve been tested so many times they must be delicious.
The black treacle used in this recipe gives the cake an almost dark and intensely rich flavour. Despite this being a ginger cake I must say that the treacle really is the star of the show – it defines every positive characteristic of this cake, except for the flavour of the ginger. However, I must say that the inclusion of golden syrup was a stroke of genius on behalf of the author of the recipe. The flavour of the treacle is just about perfect, any more and it would perhaps have been a little overpowering – this is gingerbread after all.
I think I shall try to incorporate some more hand-me-down recipes as they are, in general, fantastic. Hopefully, though I’m not certain I’ll be able to, the next one shall be the family recipe for Christmas pudding. Gran wants me to help her make some as her arms are a little dodgy this year; she could probably cope if she was making just the one, but she’s actually making six – absurd.
Edit: For you Americans who live in America, a place where nothing is as it should be, black treacle is essentially molasses. Golden syrup, however, appears to be a rarity in America. Though, I suppose one could use any type of pale refined treacle or mosey on down to a specialised baking shop. Mixed spice is similar to what you would call pumpkin pie spice in America, according to a certain internet based encyclopedia.
Gingerbread
Fills a 2lb loaf tin
Ingredients:
• 225g plain flour
• A pinch of salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 55g light muscovado sugar
• 110g margarine or butter
• 165g black treacle
• 55g golden syrup
• 150ml milk
• 2 eggs
Method:
1. Heat the oven to 150C. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Sieve together the flour, salt, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda, before stirring in the sugar.
2. Melt together the margarine, treacle and syrup over a gentle heat. Gradually beat in the milk and allow the mixture to cool a little. Beat the eggs before stirring them into the treacle mixture. Stir the wet mixture into the dry, tip into your loaf tin and bake for 1 ¼ hours.
Cost:Things like treacle and golden syrup really are very inexpensive – a whole tin of the golden syrup, which was roughly 5 times what I needed, set me back a mere55p. In fact, every ingredient in this cake is reasonably priced – the entire cake should do one’s wallet out of a mere£1.20. That’s really quite unbelievable.
100 replies on “Ena’s Gingerbread”
我喜欢姜饼——这看上去很好吃!是black treacle like sorghum or molasses? And what is the golden syrup? Thanks for a lovely recipe – and especially good for this time of year!
It is very similar to, if not the same as, molasses. Golden syrup is hard to find in America apparently, but a good replacement is corn syrup.
That looks really delicious. I was always a fan of Jamaica Ginger Cake as a kid, but this looks even better, definately one I will try, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Cheers
Marcus
Jamaica ginger cake is delicious, I hope you enjoy it.
i wonder what i could use instead of the treacle and golden syrup since i can’t really find this across the pond. but it’s not something i normally have on my list of ingredients, so maybe i can just get some at the grocery.
I think molasses would be the same as treacle, but I’m not sure. Golden syrup I have no idea.
I think they are, yes. Golden syrup is also known as inverted sugar syrup, it’s just a pale type of treacle. Apparently it is hard to find in America – perhaps try a specialist store?
糖蜜可能是最接近,但not as sweet. i really don’t think there is a substitute for Golden Syrup though
Treacle isn’t that sweet, it’s very hard to eat alone. Corn syrup apparently is good for golden.
See the edit!
I love gingerbread of all kinds, For a real treat, grate some fresh ginger root into your batter — three or four tablespoons is enough.
I’m not sure I agree I’m afraid – it would spoil the nice smooth consistency somewhat and the taste of it is rather more delicate – gingerbread should be like a punch on the tongue.
Oh man, the black treacle in this must make it amazing! I love gingerbread loaf/cake/men – anything! Great recipe and lovely pics
It does, it really does!
The gingerbread looks incredibly moist! Love the photos.
Very pretty tin:) Is treacle the same as molasses? I had my first “real” slice of gingerbread on a hike in the mountains.. it’s a favorite of mine. I’ll have to bake this one up!
是的,这是相同的。哦,是的它保留一份!
Super Lovely! I’ve unfortunately been accustomed to dry and relatively tasteless or over-cloved gingerbreads. I’m definitely giving this one a shot. When looking for the golden syrup I found that it can be ordered here:http://www.englishteastore.com/ckg001.html(他们也得到了black treacle)
and these people seem to have a lot of opinions about substitutions:http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/269518
I’m going to have to order the real thing and try it out =)
Well, give it a go! I hope you like it if you manage to gather the requisite ingredients.
I love your recipes but what is “golden syrup” (anything in US that is similar? Maple syrup?) and “black treacle”.
Even English ingredients sound sexier…
See the addition
This looks fantastic! I know the U.S. gingerbread recipes I’ve used call for molasses, so I think that would probably be OK as a substitute for black treacle. Not sure on the golden syrup though. I will have to check at some specialty stores.
Yeh, definitely. Hope you find the requisite ingredients.
Mmmm….I love gingerbread. I have found golden syrup on specialty shops (was always creeped out by the dead lion being swarmed by flies on the label).
What is in “mixed spice”?
Ahha! It’s similar to pumpkin spice apparently.
I took one look at this V and fell in love. I mean this looks absolutely amazing. I’m not a huge bread person of course, but I may try this. Thanks for this recipe
Thanks so much! It’s more of a cake. No problem.
Lovely gingerbread recipe. Thanks for the “like” on my naan post today. I am a fan of British food (you may want to look back in my archives for a tongue-in-cheek glossary I wrote about Brit food). I will be following you on Twitter! Hope to see you there.
Absolutely no problem! I need to get back into twitter – I don’t really understand why it exists…
I wish I had those ingredients on hand (not to mention an oven!). This looks stunning. Aren’t grandma’s recipes always the best?
They really are!
The Lyle’s golden syrup label shows bees (not flies) around a lion. It’s a biblical myth – bees created honeycomb inside a lion, hence the Lyle’s slogan ‘Out of the strong came forth sweetness’, as golden syrup was discovered as a lucky byproduct. Can’t believe golden syrup isn’t available in the US…but I guess it is classic British – reminds me so much of being a kid, my mum having to wrench open the sticky lid with the end of a knife, drizzling loads of it into flapjacks and then giving me the spoon to lick.
We learn something every day!
This looks fantastic! I am a huge fan of gingerbread anything!
Now that can’t be fully true!
I’ve always made gingerbread cookies (am planning to make them soon to post) but i’ve never seen gingerbread. I am definitely trying your recipe as I know my husband and family will love the look of your gingerbread. Cheers!
I plan to make the biscuits. I really hope you enjoy.
Oh and I was told that corn syrup is the perfect replacement for golden syrup…
Yes, I’ve heard that too actually.
Congratulations on your graduation (Master’s degree, yes?) — what an accomplishment! It made me smile to know that you treated yourself to this baking tin for a gift — what a treasure. (Your bread knife is wonderful, too — worthy of the job!)
I was fortunate to inherit my grandmother’s recipe box, along with many of her utensils and baking pans — can’t tell you how much I love using them. I think of her when I do and feel “hugged.” You (& your Gran) will have your work cut out for you during the holidays, but what a special time, baking together. Looking forward to your/her pudding recipe if your Gran will part with it! By the way, I made your butternut squash risotto last night — my husband took one bite and said: “I could make a meal out of that.” We did! It was fabulous!
No, not masters yet! That’s next year. I love that bread knife. I hope I manage to find time to make them with her. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for another lovely looking sweet treat, the kids and I will be trying that on the weekend….wish I had a tin tin though beautiful!!
Thanks! It really is a lovely tin.
Yummy!
http://www.benjity.wordpress.com
yes, I would try corn syrup for golden syrup. but what is mixed spices? maybe like allspice?
It’s similar to pumpkin spice apparently.
I love gingerbread! My kids and I will be making some during the Holidays!
Thanks for the recipe
No problem, I hope you enjoy.
Yum! This bread looks delish!
Thanks so much!
this looks so nice and moist. I have recently had a recipe for gingerbread with pears, you put the pears at the tops on a bundt pan, and then gingerbread under the pear slices. I do think that Iwill try out your gingerbread recipe rather than the one they gave, this one sounds great!
That’s exactly what it is That’s a lovely idea.
Looks amazing!
Oh yes! double for me please!
Control yourself!
That looks seriously dark and luscious. Great recipe! I’m impressed it uses treacle AND golden syrup!
It must – the balance is perfect.
Makes me want to go and hunt down my grandmothers gingerbread cake recipe. Yum!
Be inspired!
Oh how I love gingerbread! Is it too late to make some before bed?
Depends how long it is until bed I suppose
That is a beautiful loaf! I love the rich color – it really says ‘autumn flavors’ to me. Treacle is something I don’t get round to eating often, but is something I really do enjoy. I think I’ll add this recipe to my “Thanksgiving in Australia” menu this year
Thanks so much, Yasmeen! I hope it goes down well.
By the way, I also like your tin + pot! Is that weird? ha
Not at all – I adore them.
This looks so good – dark and rich and sticky. Gingerbread proper is so much more exciting than biscuits!
这是!我也可能很快就会做饼干。
Yum! This looks so good. I have been dying to make gingerbread and this seems like the perfect recipe. Maybe a little candied ginger mixed in would add a touch extra of goodness. Cant wait.
It’s a lovely recipe. You could add it, but it really doesn’t need it. I’m not sure it would even benefit.
Yes, more hand-me-down recipes like this one!
I shall try.
This looks moist and utterly moreish, and like it would be heavenly with clotted cream.
I’m fairly certain everything is heavenly with clotted cream.
That is some truly wicked-looking (as in awesome) gingerbread! I want some right now.
It was perfectly, literally perfect.
Yum! This made me hungry.
It’s probably best to eat something then
I’ve got a loaf in the oven right now. Luckily treacle, golden syrup nd mixed spice are all staples in my Aussie pantry, so didn’t even have to go shopping. I’m sure the finished product will be as delicious at the batter. So happy I stumbled upon your blog.
Fantastic. I hope you really enjoy the loaf.
I have to try this recipe. But where did you find Golden Syrup for 55p? Was it Lyle’s? The small tins here cost about a pound. I grew up in Canada and Dad used to moan that he had to use corn syrup for flap jacks, though I seem to remember seeing Lyle’s in some shops in the late 90’s before I left.
They were on offer
This looks absolutely heavenly, but I have to say you sent this crazy American on a google search to learn what black treacle and muscovado sugar are!
I absolutely love “grandma” recipes like this. Thank you for sharing.
Haha, I thought as much :D. Grandma recipes are perhaps the best.
Oh wow, this looks lovely and homely, very much ‘comfort food’. I must make it, my loaf tin is sitting unloved in a cupboard somewhere!
Oh yes, it surely is comforting. One simply must love one’s loaf tin.
I made this during the week and it was amazing but I’m curious – how on earth do you measure out the treacle and syrup? It got very messy very quickly.
It did for me too, just take an educated guess… It’s what I do most of the time anyway.
This looks absolutely perfect for Christmas morning. I can’t wait to try it
Oh it would be! Completely.
[…] be glad to know that I’m using a bonafide gingerbread recipe for these cupcakes, one that featured on FrugalFeeding sometime ago. The one way to spoil a recipe […]
This is why you shouldn’t sign up for over 400 amazing blogs in your rss feed reader… I am flat out just keeping up with day to day posts let alone amazing back posts…sigh…I think I am going to have to stop sleeping and just spend my life reading posts if I am missing AMAZING recipes like this. This has to be the reason that I trawl online food blogs. This particular recipe is a sort of Holy Grail moment to me. When I find something like this it reinforces my blog hoarding and gives me a reason to keep stumbling out of bed at 5am every day because it would be more than a sin to miss something as fundamentally beautiful as this perfect recipe. Can you please thank Katherine proffusely for sharing this wonderful family recipe. My gran had that be-ro book…time to hit my sister (keeper of the family treasures) up for it methinks!
Haha! It’s difficult and VERY time consuming! I shall indeed! Get it… it is so good!
Past good…entering my blood stream at a date coming VERY soon (need to get treacle and some more golden syrup in town). Until then I am boosting my need for more ginger (exponentially more ginger…) by starting a ginger and chilli beer plant to make some knock your socks off Christmas explosions for our no-doubt overheated day. Can you imagine it being hot on Christmas day? Blue sky…sun burning (doesn’t shine here in Tassie…we have no ozone layer left thanks to the “rest of the world”…sigh…) cicada’s so happily stinking hot that they actually unite their clicking into something approximating a soundtrack from a Stephen King movie? Neither can poor Steve :(. He says that he will NEVER get used to our Aussie Christmases no matter how much turkey and plum pudding I make.
Oh good – enjoy :D. I’ll have to make these again for Xmas day! I’d never get used to it either…
This looks so moist!!
The best gingerbread I’ve ever had!
[…] of its sensuous viscosity it conveys a luxuriously dense texture, rather like black treacle in gingerbread. As such, a slice of this pleasantly substantial cake is enough to satisfy the demands of even the […]
Not sure what I’ve done…..followed the recipe to the T and there’s way too much mixture for a 1lb loaf tin – it came to the top when it went in….1/3 of it is now on the bottom of the oven
I’m not sure what to say. The recipe is correct and has worked perfectly for me! Sorry it dirtied your oven…
I’ve just done it halving the ingredients and it’s perfect for a 1lb loaf tin. Thanks…..got something to take to our Great British Bake – off gathering tonight!