LIGHT GINGERBREAD SHEET CAKE WITH BLUEBERRIES & GINGER: Indulgence, cake is butter-free, dairy-free option

Love the flavour of gingerbread but not sure about conventional sticky heavy gingerbread cakes? 

Light gingerbread cake with cream cheese icing, blueberries & candied ginger
'the yummiest you've ever made!' '...so delicious, I ate it all in one go!' Tasters

Try this delectable new cake from 67goingon50*.  It's full of the flavours of dark sugar and molasses, with layers of gorgeous spices.  Frosted with fluffy cream cheese icing and studded with fresh blueberries and candied ginger, the cake is sure to please a crowd.

67's gingerbread cake is not as intense as a normal gingerbread; the texture is fluffier, finer crumbed and less sticky. There is an option for more spice.  But, just as it is, the cake is light and refreshing -- like an oasis among the many rich and densely flavoured items on offer during the festive season or at Halloween. 

The recipe makes a great deal of batter - enough for a three-tier cake.  67 recommends removing 2/3 cup of the batter for cupcakes (to keep the kids happy while the finished product sits in the fridge awaiting guests.)  

The cake does cost a little more than a standard cake but it is for a crowd.

Offer different sized portions for all appetites
 

Cost: min £5'ish, depending on the cupboard

Makes: up to 30 small portions

Ingredients: 

150 ml full fat milk OR plant milk like almond

4 tablespoons black treacle

  

375 gm/13.2 oz plain flour (or 67's choice 275gm white +100gm self-raising  brown flour)

3 teaspoons baking powder

1.5 teaspoons baking soda

275gm/9.7oz light brown sugar

          100gm/3.5 muscovado (black) sugar 

min 1.5-max 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

          2 tsp grated ginger (opt)

min 1-max 2 tsp ground ginger

min 1/4-max 1/2 tsp cloves

          min 1/4-max 1/2 tsp nutmeg (opt)

 

225 ml vegetable oil

300 ml buttermilk OR plant yoghurt thinned with water to the consistecy of buttermilk

Three large eggs, slightly beaten

3 tablespoons rum/brandy (opt)

1.5  teaspoons vanilla

          2 tablespoons syrup from jar of ginger in syrup 

 

Icing 

125 gm/4.4oz slightly salted dairy or planht butter 

300 gm/10.5oz icing sugar

150 gm/5.2oz full fat cream cheese OR vegan cream cheese

1 tsp caramel (or vanilla) extract 

2 generous handfuls blueberries

          2-3 balls of candied ginger from syrup in small pieces 

      

Method:

1. Line tin with greaseproof paper: either a 10x13 inch/26x33cm sheet pan (or equiv) OR for a deeper cake,  9"x11"/23x28cm pan
2. Gently heat milk & treacle in saucepan, watching it carefully; bring to a gentle simmer - don't let it boil; set aside to cool
3. Preheat oven to 180c/350F
4. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar & spices, breaking up any lumps
5. Using electric beaters, in a separate jug, whisk oil, buttermilk or thinned yoghurt, eggs, rum/brandy & vanilla;  add milk treacle mix; beat until well combined
6. Mix wet ingredients into dry; beat with electric whisk to a smooth uniform batter
7. Bake 25 to 30 mins (for sheet pan) or 45-50 mins (smaller pan) until skewer comes out clean, turning cake from front to back half-way
8. Cool completely
9. Brush surface with syrup from jar (if making ahead, the cake can be well wrapped in cling film and refrigerated up to 2 days)

Icing

1. Whip butter and half the icing sugar in a large bowl
2. Add remaining icing sugar, cream cheese & vanilla
3. Mix again until smooth
4. Cover cake
5. Arrange rows of berries on top; scatter with candied ginger

*adapted from BBC Good Food Magazine

Comments:

• 'The yummiest you have ever made!  The cake was fluffy, the frosting carmel-y but the berries just exploded in the mouth giving a completely different dimension to the whole.' Political Agent 
• 'I would buy this repeatedly from a shop. It’s Planet Organic standard; you can tell it’s handmade and the cream icing is perfect -- it complements the cake and leaves a fresh taste in the mouth.' Retired Paratrooper
• 'Really loved this.' London Underground driver
• 'The cake, icing, berries and ginger came together so well; it was absolutely delicious.  Usually, I save some of my portion for later but I ate it all in one go.' 67's handyman.
• 'The blueberries and ginger really made this cake pop but I also adored the lightness of the sponge compared to the usual sticky heavy gingerbread cakes.' Retired writer

Tips:

Some supermarkets now offer caramel extract - it's lovely but strong, a little goes a long way.  It's much cheaper than vanilla.

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission