Nigella Ginger Cake With Lemon Icing Food

STICKY STEM GINGER CAKE WITH LEMON ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Butter and line an 18cm round, 7cm deep cake tin with greaseproof or parchment paper.
• Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda and all the spices into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Put the sugar, treacle, syrup and milk in a medium saucepan and heat, gently stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to just below boiling point.
• Add the stem ginger to the flour mixture, then pour in the treacle mixture, stirring as you go with a wooden spoon. Break in the egg and beat until all the mixture is combined and it resembles a thick pancake batter. Pour this into prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes-1 hour, until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out fairly clean. Leave to cool completely in tin before turning cake out. (To freeze: wrap in greaseproof paper, then in cling film. Freeze for up to 1 month.)
• To make the icing, mix together icing sugar and lemon zest, then gradually add lemon juice until you have a smooth, slightly runny icing, adding more juice, if needed. Drizzle icing in a zig-zag pattern over surface of cake, turn cake around and drizzle again to create the cross-hatched finish (see below). Cake keeps for up to 2 weeks stored in an airtight container.

FRESH GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugar, syrup, molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. Off the heat, add the milk, eggs, and baking soda in its water.
• Measure the flour out into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until very well mixed (it will be a very liquid batter). Pour it into the pan and bake for 3/4 - 1 hour until risen and firm. Be careful not to overcook it, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway it will carry on cooking as it cools.
• And when it is cool, get on with the icing. Whisk the lemon juice into the confectioners' sugar first, then gradually add the water. You want a good, thick icing, so go cautiously and be prepared not to add all the water. Spread over the cooled gingerbread with a palette knife, and leave to set before cutting.

LEMON GINGER CAKE W/ LEMON-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For Cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Butter two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
• Line bottom of pans with waxed paper; butter paper.
• Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Mix in lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla (mixture may look curdled).
• Sift flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions each, beginning with dry ingredients.
• Divide batter equally between prepared pans.
• Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer pans to racks.
• Cool 10 minutes.
• Using small sharp knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cakes.
• Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
• Peel off waxed paper.
• (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.) For Frosting: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon peel and vanilla in large bowl until smooth.
• Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter.
• Spread 1 cup frosting over top.
• Place remaining cake layer atop.
• Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting over sides and top of cake in decorative swirls.
• Sprinkle top of cake with remaining 1 teaspoon lemon peel.
• (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.).

FRESH GINGERBREAD WITH LEMON ICING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter along with the sugar, syrup, molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. Off the heat, add the milk, eggs, and baking soda in its water.
• Measure the flour out into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until very well mixed (it will be a very liquid batter). Pour it into the pan and bake for 3/4 - 1 hour until risen and firm.
• Be careful not to overcook it, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway it will carry on cooking as it cools.
• And when it is cool, begin the frosting. Whisk the lemon juice into the confectioners' sugar first, then gradually add extract and milk, as needed to make desired consistency.
• Spread over the cooled gingerbread with a palette knife, and leave to set before cutting.

PRESERVED GINGER CAKE WITH LEMON ICING GLAZE

Steps:

• First prepare the cake tin by greasing it lightly and lining it with the silicone paper: press it into the tin, folding the corners in to make it fit neatly.
• The paper should come up 1 inch (2. 5 cm) above the edge.
• Preheat oven to 325*F.
• To make the cake, take a large mixing bowl and cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Next break the eggs into a jug and beat them with a fork until fluffy, then gradually beat them into the mixture, a little at a time, until all the egg is incorporated.
• Next fold in the ginger syrup and molasses; the best way to add the molasses is to lightly grease a tablespoon, then take a tablespoon of molasses and just push it off the spoon with a rubber spatula into the mixture.
• Sift the flour and ground ginger on to a plate, then gradually fold these in, about a tablespoon at a time.
• Next fold in the almonds, followed by the milk, and lastly the grated root ginger and pieces of stem ginger.
• Spread the cake mixture evenly in the cake tin, then bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is risen, springy and firm to touch in the centre.
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and make sure it is absolutely cold before you attempt to ice it.
• For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix with enough of the lemon juice to make the consistency of thick cream - you might not need all the lemon juice.
• Spread the icing over the top of the cake, and don't worry if it dribbles down the sides in places, as this looks quite attractive.
• Cut the remaining ginger into 15 chunks and place these in lines across the cake so that when you cut it you will have 15 squares, each with a piece of ginger in the centre.
• It's absolute heaven.
• If you'd like one or two of these cakes tucked away for a rainy day, they freeze beautifully - simply defrost and put the icing on half an hour before serving.