Best 5 African Ginger Cake Recipes

FRESH GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Position the oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 by 3-inch round cake pan or a 9 1/2 inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
• Peel, slice, and chop the ginger very fine with a knife (or use a grater). Mix together the molasses, sugar, and oil. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.
• Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan, stir in the baking soda, and then mix the hot water into the molasses mixture. Stir in the ginger.
• Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the batter. Add the eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of the cake springs back lightly when pressed or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of the cake browns too quickly before the cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.
• Cool the cake for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and peel off the parchment paper.

APRIL BLOOMFIELD'S GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with a rack set in the center. Generously butter an 8-inch round, 3-inch high springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper and place on baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a small saucepan, stir together boiling water, molasses, and baking soda until molasses has completely dissolved.
• Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Reduce speed to medium-low and add egg; mix until combined. Add grated ginger and mix to combine.
• Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the molasses mixture, scraping down sides as necessary. Batter will be very wet. Pour batter into prepared pan and transfer to oven. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool slightly before removing ring from springform pan; serve warm.

FRESH GINGER CAKE

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with 3-inch sides, or a 9-inch springform pan, with a circle of parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the molasses, sugar and oil. In separate medium bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in baking soda, then mix hot water into molasses mixture. Stir in ginger.
• Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into batter. Add eggs, and continue mixing until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake for about 1 hour, until the top of cake springs back lightly when pressed or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top of cake browns too quickly before cake is done, drape a piece of foil over it and continue baking.
• Cool cake for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of cake to loosen it from pan. Invert cake onto a cooling rack, and remove parchment paper.

SOUTH AFRICAN KOEKSISTERS

Steps:

• Combine sugar, water, ginger, lemon zest, and lemon juice together in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes. Cool syrup to room temperature, transfer to a container, and refrigerate until flavors blend, 8 hours to overnight.
• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until mixture has a cornmeal texture. Add the milk; mix until a smooth dough forms. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 2 hours.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a 5x14-inch rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Cut the dough into twenty eight 1/2-inch wide strips. Twist pairs of strips together and pinch the ends together. Repeat for all of the strips. Cover strips with a clean cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.
• Heat about 2-inches of oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Pour some of the cold syrup into a bowl and return remaining syrup to the refrigerator.
• Working in batches, fry koeksister twists in hot oil until twists swell and are golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes. Remove koeksisters from hot oil with a slotted spoon and immediately immerse in cold syrup for 10 seconds. Transfer soaked koeksisters to prepared wire rack to cool. Replenish cold syrup as necessary.

WEST AFRICAN LIME CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes; beat in eggs and lime juice. Stir flour and baking powder into butter mixture until combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts.