Name: Dark gingerbread cake with mandarin compote
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 6 - 8
Ingredients: 375 gm (2½ cups) flour; 180 gm (1 cup) light brown sugar; 30 gm fresh ginger, finely grated; 2 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp each ground allspice and ground nutmeg; 1½ tsp baking powder; ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 125 gm (1/2 cup) each molasses and golden syrup; 160 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil; Mandarin compote; 220 gm caster sugar; 3 mandarins, segmented, pith removed; 2 tbsp mandarin juice; Juice of 1 lemon; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; 1 tsp orange-blossom water

Dark gingerbread cake with mandarin compote

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for dark gingerbread cake with mandarin compote.

Serves 6 - 8

Prep

15M

Cook

1H 15M

Total

1H 30M

Ingredients

375 gm (2½ cups) flour

180 gm (1 cup) light brown sugar

30 gm fresh ginger, finely grated

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp each ground allspice and ground nutmeg

1½ tsp baking powder

¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 eggs, lightly beaten

125 gm (1/2 cup) each molasses and golden syrup

160 ml (2/3 cup) vegetable oil

Mandarin compote

220 gm caster sugar

3 mandarins, segmented, pith removed

2 tbsp mandarin juice

Juice of 1 lemon

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

1 tsp orange-blossom water

Method

Main

1.For mandarin compote, stir sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan over medium-high heat to dissolve sugar, bring to the boil, brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, and cook until caramel (8-10 minutes). Reduce heat to low, add mandarin segments and juices (careful as hot caramel will spit), vanilla and orange-blossom water, and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge until required. Mandarin compote will keep for up to a week refrigerated in an airtight container.

2.Heat oven to 180C. Combine flour, sugar, fresh ginger, ground spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix well.

3.In a separate bowl, combine eggs, molasses, golden syrup and oil, and beat well. Add 250ml water, stir to combine, then add to flour mixture, whisking to combine. Pour batter into a buttered and floured 23cm-diameter fluted ring tin and bake until a skewer inserted withdraws clean (45-55 minutes). Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate to cool for a further 30 minutes. Serve with mandarin compote spooned on top. Gingerbread cake is best eaten on the day of making, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.