Triple Ginger Layer Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Butter and line a 23cm square baking tin (or use a shallow roasting tin, approx 30 x 20cm). Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the butter, sugar and treacle into a saucepan and heat gently for about 5 mins until the butter and sugar have melted. Stir in the milk. The mix should be just warm to the touch; if not, leave to cool a little longer, then beat in the eggs.
• Mix the chopped ginger and dry ingredients together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the melted mix into the well, then gradually draw the dry ingredients into the wet with a wooden spoon, until you have a thick, smooth batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin, then bake for 1 hr until risen and firm to the touch. Resist taking a peek beforehand; the cake will sink if the oven temperature drops too quickly before it's cooked through. Poke a skewer into the centre to check that it's cooked - it should come out clean. If not, give it 10 mins more and check again. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Once completely cool, turn out of the tin ready for icing, or wrap well in cling film and keep in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
• To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the gingery syrup. Beat well until you have a smooth, runny icing. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with icing and cut into squares. If you're planning to let the cake mature for a while, make the icing on the day you want to cut it.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325 degrees, and lightly grease a 12-inch oven-safe skillet with unsalted butter.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the remaining butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the molasses, and grate the ginger using a fine grater into the mixing bowl. Mix until well combined, scraping the bowl as necessary, 1 minute more. Add the egg and mix to incorporate, about 30 seconds more.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and salt to combine. Add half of the flour mixture to the mixer and mix on low speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well.
• Add the milk and mix to incorporate. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the crystallized ginger by hand.
• Pour the batter into the prepared skillet, and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle the surface with turbinado sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Let cool for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.
• Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• For frosting:
• Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.) Serve cake cold or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Whizz together the biscuits or crush in a sealed bag until you get fine crumbs. Gently melt the butter, then mix into the crumbs. Press evenly into a 20cm loosebottomed round cake tin. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Put the remaining ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Spread over the base, then smooth the top with a knife. Leave in the fridge overnight to set. Remove the cake from the tin and top with roasted rhubarb (recipe, below) or your choice of fruit.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Sift flour, ground ginger, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and milk alternately into batter. Fold in crystallized ginger and grated ginger. Divide batter between prepared loaf pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. (Can be prepared up to 1 month ahead. Double-wrap cakes with plastic; freeze.)