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Winter holidays and spices that warm you up tend to be a wonderful combination.
In this year’s annual Holiday Cooking episode, discover a deeply spice-infused triple ginger cake that to my tastebuds reminds me of the best gingersnap cookie I can remember and then some.
Taking only 15 minutes to whip up the batter, the cake baking time gives you time to prepare an über simple drizzle full of bright citrus flavor. Enjoy shortly after baking or reserve for the next day or later in the day, and the cake continues to taste delicious.
Choose to drizzle individually on each slice or top the entire cake, letting the drizzles drop down the sides.
And don’t forget the Demerara sugar, and be sure to be generous (much more generous than what you see here – I was being far too stingy).
The addition of the sugar (added just before you place it into the oven) gives a wonderful crunchy texture to the top of the cake (and a bit of iridescent sparkle).
This year the holiday episode arrived early, so while my holiday decorations are not up around the house yet (the tree, garland, etc.), I did a bit of decorating in the kitchen. The ornaments were purchased from Catesby’s of Britain with a couple purchased from Sur la Table (tea kettle and market basket). The large sugar pinecones were found years ago.
I do hope you enjoy this year’s episode. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, joyful holiday season. Bonne journée.
~NOTE to readers who cannot see a video below: Be sure to turn off your ad-blocker if you use one as you will not be able to see a video at all if the ad-blocker is in use. Once you turn off your ad-blocker, you will need to restart your device to view the video.
Links shared during the episode:
- Ginger & Almond Bars, recipe
- Let’s Go Find the Simply Luxurious Christmas Tree! 2019
- pre-cut parchment paper, 9″ cake rounds
- non-stick round cake pans (multiple sizes)
- springform pans (multiple sizes)
~Cook & Share! I would love to share your Simply Luxurious Kitchen inspired experiences from your kitchen! Tag me on Instagram with @thesimplyluxuriouslife #tslkitchen and your post could appear on my Instagram feed as well as on a future Show Notes post (see below). Many readers have already shared their meals inspired by recipes from TSLKitchen. Check out TSLL’s IG Story Highlights – titled, Viewers’ Recipes.
Digital Cookbooks for Each Season of the Show are available. If you are looking for all of the recipes for each season in one easy to find place without having to click through each episode for each season. Season 4 is also now available ($8). Shop here. (Note: All TOP Tier Members/Subscribers can download these cookbooks for free.)
Triple Ginger Cake with Orange Drizzle
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups 350 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp fleur de sel
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup 170 grams, room temperature unsalted butter
- 1 cup 220 grams, light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 3 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1-2 Tbsp crystalized ginger, roughly chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup canola, vegetable or cocunut oil
- 1/4 cup demerara sugar for topping the cake (just before you begin baking it)
Orange Drizzle
- 250 grams 3-4 cups, of powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 Celsius.
- Prepare you cake pan. I used an 8 inch pan in the video. You can also you a springform pan or any other sizes of cake pans (this will change the baking time). Rub butter on the sides of the pan and a bit on the bottom. Place a circular piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: flour, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger (spice), salt, baking powder and soda. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, combine the wet ingredients. Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and molasses until the mixture is light, airy, a bit fluffy and far more pale than when the ingredients began being combined. (about 3-4 minutes). Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl from Time to time. Add the freshly grated ginger. Beat to combine.
- Add eggs to the wet mixture and mix until light and fluffy. It will almost looking like a light caramel frosting. This will take about 5 minutes. Add the chopped crystalized ginger.
- Add the buttermilk and vegetable/canola/coconut oil gradually, alternating with the dry ingredients. Add a 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture, then a 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix on a low speed. Then add the next third. Mix. Then add the next third. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Place the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle on the Demerara sugar. Be generous as this adds a lovely crunch to each bite of the cake.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes (for an 8" cake pan).
- When you check the cake after 35 minutes. Likely, the middle will see a bit uncooked. This is actually okay. The cake should be a near dark brown, but you do want the softness in the middle. Let the cake cool for 30 minutes at least as this will give the middle time to settle. The middle (as you see in the pic) will sink. That is okay as well as you want a bit of different texture from the outer crisp edge and top to the chewy, soft middle.
Orange Drizzle
- While the cake is baking or just before you are going to serve it, make the drizzle. In a medium size bowl, add the powdered sugar and then pour in 3 Tbsp of orange juice. Mix with a fork or a whisk until the mixture falls slowly from the mixing tool. You can make this thinner if you'd like by adding more orange juice.
- You may pour all of the drizzle over the top of the cake and let it run down the sides or distribute drizzle individually over each slice when served. Enjoy with a hot cup of something delicious.
~View more episodes of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen here.
Good morning Shannon! Merci for this lovely festive episode and hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving! I am certainly going to try this recipe and love the sound of your describing it to be eaten by the cosy fire. Please may I ask where you got your ‘market basket’ Christmas ornament? Its so cute! Love from a very windy and rainy England! xxx
Thank you for viewing the episode! I picked up the market basket ornament last year. I think either from Williams-Sonoma or Sur la Table.
I love ginger cake. I actually made a sticky gingerbread last week so I’m going to try this later. Thank you.
Nicola, thank you for checking out this year’s holiday episode. I think you will enjoy this recipe if you enjoy ginger. ?
Lovely warming cake for this time of year. All my favourite spices. The best sugar in my opinion. Fun fact .Demerara sugar is named after the the beautiful river in my country of birth -Guyana.(former Dutch colony) The name was never patented and now sugars in that form from any country , mostly Mauritius can be called Demerara! It’s from the Dutch word Demerary. Have a good weekend Shannon xx
Thank you so much for sharing Kameela! I had no idea about the history of the sugar. I appreciate your sharing. ?
What a perfect and pretty cake for the winter, looks absolutely scrumptious! So funny, ginger is on the collective brain—tonight I’m making simple baked pears, finished with a dollop of ginger cream, and crumble of ginger snap. ‘Tis indeed the season! (Loved that gorgeous sunlight pouring into the kitchen.) Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Shannon! XOX Rona
Looks delicious!
And I have to say that I loved the way you decorate your kitchen.
Wondering if anyone has made this with gluten free flour? Would love to make this for my friends birthday.