Gingerbread Cake

Conventional Method:

For the Cake

• Preheat oven to 170°c. Line the base of your USA pan or Grease and line your cake tin. You could use a bundt tin for this recipe too but take note it will take a lot longer to bake off.
• Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
• Place butter in an electric mixer and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add in the brown sugar and mix again on medium speed until well incorporated.
• Turn the mixer to medium-low, add in the eggs one at a time, then add in the golden syrup and add about a heaped tablespoon of the flour mix to prevent curdling. Mix until well incorporated.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Alternating between dry and wet, add the flour mixture and milk in 3 additions on low speed.
• Once mixed divide the batter evenly between your tins.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes. Or until done.
• Cool on a wire rack completely before assembling the cake.

Thermomix Method:

For the Cake:

• Preheat oven to 170°c. Line the base of your USA pan or Grease and line your cake tin. You could use a bundt tin for this recipe too but take note it will take a lot longer to bake off.
• Weight the flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, salt, baking powder and baking soda into the TM bowl and sift with the MC in place for 4 seconds/speed 6 remove from the bowl and set aside.
• Weight the cubed butter and brown sugar into the TM bowl and beat for 30 seconds/speed 5. Add in the butterfly and mix again on 5 seconds/speed 3.5, then set the TM to speed 2 and drop the eggs in one at a time, then add around a tablespoon of the flour mix (prepared earilier) then the golden syrup until combined.
• Scrape down the sides and check the bottom of the TM bowl to see if there’s any butter stuck down there, mix again for 6 seconds/speed 3.5 if needed.
• Place a small jug or bowl on top of the TM lid and weigh in the milk and set aside
• With your wet and dry mix ready, set the TM to speed 3 and alternate the milk and dry ingredients through the hole in the lid in 3 additions. Check to see if you need to scrape down, if yes, scrape down and mix again for 3 seconds/speed 3.5
• Once mixed divide the batter evenly between the tins. I used 2 tins and made two batches.
• Bake for 22-25 minutes. Or until done depending on the tins you’ve chosen
• Cool on a wire rack completely before assembling the cake.

To assemble: As I have done in the main photo:

• You’ll need a buttercream. I can’t tell you how much because it depends on how much or how many cakes you’ve made. I can tell you that I needed 5 cups for the large 4 layer cake I made.
• Place the first layer of gingerbread cake on your cake plate. Spread some frosting over the first layer Having it between 1/2 to 1 cm thick then add the second layer of cake.
• Continue the process until you have all layers done then apply a very thin coating around the sides and top of the cake. This is called a crumb coat and will help with the appearance of your cake for the final layer of buttercream. Place the cake in the fridge for 20 minutes allowing it to chill before adding the remainder of the buttercream.
• Spread the remaining buttercream over the top of the cake and around the sides.
• Decorate as you wish.