An incredibly sticky, utterly satisfying vegan ginger cake. Full of spice and flavour, this delicious sticky cake is the perfect teatime treat.
I adore ginger cake. There's a recipe in Nigel Slater's book, The Kitchen Diaries, for double ginger cake that I made many times in my pre-vegan days. It's sticky, sweet and so full of flavour. There was something deeply comforting about it - perhaps why it appeared in his January chapter - and I might even go so far as to say it was my favourite cake.
I've long wanted to make a vegan version of this cake and after several mis-starts I have come up with this version. My family and I adore this sticky vegan ginger cake and we hope you do too.
How difficult is this vegan ginger cake to make?
Although this isn't a one-bowl recipe it's actually a very simple cake to bake.
There are a few simple steps to follow:
- Add apple cider vinegar to your plant-based milk
If you don’t have apple cider vinegar you can use lemon juice or white wine vinegar instead. This will react with the bicarbonate of soda during baking and help your cake to rise. - Mix together the dry ingredients
First add your raising agents, then your ground ginger to your flour. Mix it all together. - Melt your spread with your sugars
Add the dairy free spread to a small saucepan and melt it gently with golden syrup and treacle. Once melted add brown sugar, sultanas and stem ginger. - Mix everything together
First add the sugar mixture to the flour, then the milk mixture. Stir together and bake in a preheated oven.
What should you serve with this cake
This sticky ginger cake is very sweet and delicious on its own and really doesn’t need anything served with it. However, if you wanted to serve it as a dessert it is delicious with a scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream or some oat cream or custard.
What ingredients do you need to make vegan ginger cake?
Full ingredients list, quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Plant-based milk
I usually use oat milk to make my ginger cake but you could use almond milk or soya instead.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate of soda and helps your cake to rise. This is very useful in vegan baking as there are no eggs to help the cake to rise. Lemon juice or white wine vinegar do the same job and can be used instead if you prefer.
Plain flour
I usually use plain white flour to make my vegan ginger cake.
Ground ginger
This cake has two types of ginger in it - the first being ground ginger.
Baking powder
To help the cake rise.
Bicarbonate of soda
Also there to help the cake rise - see note above under apple cider vinegar
Dairy free spread
You can use any dairy free butter alternative - I prefer to use the kind that comes in a block rather than a spreadable packet for my baking.
Golden syrup
Sticky and gooey, golden syrup adds a lovely flavour to this vegan ginger cake.
Black treacle/molasses
Usually known as black treacle in the UK and molasses in the US, this is what gives this ginger cake its incredible depth of flavour and stickiness.
Syrup from the ginger jar
For extra ginger flavour
,Sultanas
Deliciously sweet these add a lovely bit of texture to the cake.
Stem ginger
Stem ginger is simply ginger cooked in a sugar syrup and then preserved. It lasts a long time, makes a great gift and is an excellent way to use up fresh ginger if you have a lot. You can buy stem ginger in most supermarkets but if you fancy making your own here’s a good recipe. talesfromthekitchenshed.com/2016/10/homemade-stem-ginger/
Brown sugar
You can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar to make this cake. Which one you choose will affect the colour of your cake - the cake in the photographs was made with light brown sugar.
What equipment I used to make my vegan ginger cake
You don't need any fancy equipment to make this cake. All you'll need is a small saucepan, a jug, a mixing bowl, wooden spoon, measuring spoons, weighing scales and a 20cm square cake tin (if you have a loose-bottomed one use that).
You will also need some baking paper.
How to store this ginger cake
This ginger cake lasts really well. Once it has cooled completely wrap it up in baking paper, then cover with a layer of foil and store in an airtight container. Un-iced it’ll keep for well over a week. With the icing on it won’t keep quite so well.
Can you freeze this recipe?
Yes. Once the cake has cooled completely wrap up in baking paper, then a layer of foil and pop in a freezer box or bag for up to three months. Don’t forget to label your container with the recipe name and date.
Don’t ice the cake before freezing.
Once you’re ready to eat your vegan ginger cake remove from the freezer and allow to defrost. You can then ice it if you wish or eat it plain.
More vegan bakes
If you like this recipe here are some more of my vegan bakes that you might like
- Gooey flapjacks
- Chocolate chip banana muffins
- Oreo cake
- Spiced apple cake
- Apple tart tatin
- Vegan mince pies
- Mini egg brownies
- Vegan simnel cake (for Easter)
You might also like these healthy gingerbread muffins with cashew frosting.
Pin vegan ginger cake for later
How to make vegan ginger cake
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
Vegan ginger cake
Ingredients
- 250 ml plant milk I used oat milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 250 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 125 g dairy free spread
- 150 g golden syrup
- 50 g black treacle/molasses
- 2 tablespoons syrup from ginger jar
- 50 g sultanas
- 60 g stem ginger around 3 lumps, finely chopped
- 125 g brown sugar
Instructions
- Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking paper. If you have a loose-bottomed tin use that.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Measure 250ml oat milk and add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
- Mix 250g self raising flour, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp baking powder and ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda together in a mixing bowl.
- Place 125g dairy free spread, 150g golden syrup, 50g molasses and 2 tbsp ginger syrup into a saucepan and heat gently until melted. Add the chopped stem ginger, 50g sultanas and 125g dark brown sugar. Heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the milk and vinegar mixture and mix again.
- Transfer to your prepared cake tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the tin then turn out onto a serving plate. Either serve as it is or drizzle over some icing. Wrap in baking paper and foil and store in an airtight container for up to two weeks (uniced).
Nutrition
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