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Gingerbread cake

Squares of gingerbread on a cooling rack to the left. Squares of gingerbread on greaseproof paper to the right. Pieces of fresh root ginger in background. Plate with 2 pieces of gingerbread in foreground next to tea cloth. Wooden surface. For Gingerbread cake recipe.

Gingerbread was introduced to Europe, according to legend, by an Armenian monk, Gregory of Nicopolis, in the tenth century.  He lived in Bondaroy in France for several years. During this time, he taught French Christians how to make a gingery hard biscuit.  It is more likely, however, that gingerbread was introduced to the northern countries of Europe from the Middle East.  It became particularly popular in Poland and Sweden after the eleventh century.  Gingerbread is still widely eaten in eastern Europe, Germany and Scandinavia particularly at Christmas.  It was viewed as medicinal because ginger was regarded as an aide to digestion and cure for upset stomachs. It is not clear when gingerbread arrived in Britain.  It was probably making an appearance at fairs in the Middle Ages.  By the seventeenth century a trade in gingerbread was taking place in monasteries and at town markets.  In the 18th century gingerbread was very popular and could be purchased in bakeries and sweet shops.  This recipe is an old family recipe handed down from my great, great grandmother in Yorkshire.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales
  • Roasting tin (25 x 20cm)
  • Baking paper
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small saucepan
  • Electric hand whisk
  • Skewer
  • Cooling rack

Preparation method

  • Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/gas 2.5.
  • Grease and line the roasting tin with baking paper.
  • Place the honey and golden syrup in the small saucepan and heat until runny. Allow to cool slightly.
  • Place the eggs to the large mixing bowl and whisk well.
  • Add the runny honey and syrup and continue to whisk until fully incorporated.
  • Add the sugar and whisk in.
  • Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger into the batter and fold in thoroughly.
  • Clean the saucepan and place the butter and lard in it and heat until the fats have melted. Take off the heat before it starts to bubble and allow to cool a little.
  • Pour the melted fats into the cake batter and beat in.
  • Transfer the cake batter into the baking tin.
  • Place in the oven and bake for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until a skewer pierced into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool before transferring to a cooling rack.
  • Remove the baking paper and cut into 15 (5 x 3) squares before serving.

Note: I tend to prefer to use a hand-held electric whisk when making cakes so the recipes refer to this, but you may prefer to use a stand mixer.  Just use the beater for mixing cake batters and the whisk for egg whites and cream.
For tips on and advice see my guide on making cakes
More recipes using ginger
Ginger biscuits
Gingerbread
Ginger bread cake
Ginger cobnut cake
Parkin
Pear and ginger trifle
Red gingerbread
Salmon in pastry with ginger and currants
Treacle and ginger tart
 

Victorian

Serves:
14
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 220 g runny honey
  • 340 g golden syrup
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 170 g light muscovado sugar
  • 450 g plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 85 g unsalted butter
  • 56 g lard

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Gingerbread cake
Serving Size
 
100 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
350
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
9.5
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
4.7
g
29
%
Cholesterol
 
48
mg
16
%
Sodium
 
110
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
403
mg
12
%
Carbohydrates
 
63
g
21
%
Fiber
 
0.9
g
4
%
Sugar
 
40
g
44
%
Protein
 
4.3
g
9
%
Calcium
 
68
mg
7
%
Iron
 
1.8
mg
10
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Keywords

Ginger, Victorian

© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace