90 Min

Ginger Cake

Given that a dozen or so spices weave through my day’s cooking, one always reigns supreme. Ginger, which I use in extremely copious amounts at the restaurant and my home, is hands down my favorite spice. Even the laziest iteration of my morning chai, when I just use a tea bag, will have sliced ginger in the cup steeping along with the tea. So, when our pastry chef, Taylor, one morning made a ginger cake, I was immediately infatuated with it. I also loved that it was an oil-based cake, as opposed to a butter-based cake simply because the oil ones remain moister over time. While she used a cream cheese frosting, I decided this is a cake I want sitting on my kitchen counter so I can enjoy it with that morning or afternoon cup of chai. I topped the cake off with cranberries; in keeping with the season but you can top it off with anything from blueberries to nothing at all and I promise you that it will make a wonderful snack or dessert.

This ginger cake is my love letter to ginger and has already become part of my home-cooking repertoire. I hope it becomes a part of yours too! And remember, you do not need to peel ginger, the skin is perfectly edible. There is an old wives tale in in India that the maximum flavor resides just below the skin…

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Cook Time

1 hour and 30 minutes

Serves

8

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a round of square pan that is roughly 9X9.

Step 2

To make the streusel topping, using a fork, combine the butter, sugar, almonds, cranberries, cinnamon and salt. The mixture should be crumbly. Set it aside.

Step 3

To make the cake batter, in a large bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour with baking soda, baking powder, pepper, ginger, cinnamon, mace and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, ginger, eggs, vanilla, orange juice and yogurt.

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients to the olive oil mixture in 3 batches, mixing well with a spatula each time, however, do not overmix. Mix just until no streaks remain.

Step 5

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Step 6

Bake the cake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top and cook it for another 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 7

Let the cake rest until cooled, then serve with plain unsweetened cream or just on its own.

Notes & Variations

To make ginger puree, combine a few pieces of roughly chopped half a pound unpeeled ginger with just under 1 cup of water in a blender. Blend on high until the ginger is completely pureed. Strain the ginger for the cake batter before using it. Use the remaining ginger for other foods. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The cake can be left out for a day or two ~ for longer, refrigerate.
This cake can also be made entirely with whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose.

Ingredients

Streusel topping:
2 tablespoons ghee or melted butter

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Generous pinch salt

Dry ingredients:

240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons dry ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

130g (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil

2 eggs large or 3 small

160g (3/4 cup) coconut sugar or brown sugar

1/3 cup ginger puree

3/4 cup (150g) fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a round of square pan that is roughly 9X9.

Step 2

To make the streusel topping, using a fork, combine the butter, sugar, almonds, cranberries, cinnamon and salt. The mixture should be crumbly. Set it aside.

Step 3

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients to the olive oil mixture in 3 batches, mixing well with a spatula each time, however, do not overmix. Mix just until no streaks remain.

Step 5

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

Step 6

Bake the cake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top and cook it for another 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 7

Let the cake rest until cooled, then serve with plain unsweetened cream or just on its own.

Streusel topping:
2 tablespoons ghee or melted butter

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 cup sliced almonds

3/4 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Generous pinch salt

Dry ingredients:

240g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons dry ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:

130g (3/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil

2 eggs large or 3 small

160g (3/4 cup) coconut sugar or brown sugar

1/3 cup ginger puree

3/4 cup (150g) fresh orange juice

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

Notes & Variations

To make ginger puree, combine a few pieces of roughly chopped half a pound unpeeled ginger with just under 1 cup of water in a blender. Blend on high until the ginger is completely pureed. Strain the ginger for the cake batter before using it. Use the remaining ginger for other foods. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
The cake can be left out for a day or two ~ for longer, refrigerate.
This cake can also be made entirely with whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose.

Tags:

90 Min

Tags:

90 Min

Ginger in sweets is our favorite thing.

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WE <3 GINGER

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