balls stem ginger, finely chopped, plus 3tbsp syrup
2Tbsp.
demerara sugar
40g
crystallised ginger, chopped
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Zest the limes and keep in damp kitchen paper in the fridge – you’ll use this later to decorate the cake.
Step 2
In a large bowl, beat the butter, 200g sugar and vanilla with a handheld whisk until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs. If the mixture begins to split, whisk in 1tbsp of flour.
Step 3
Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, ground ginger and lime juice followed by the vodka and chopped stem ginger. Spoon into the tin, sprinkle over half the demerara sugar and bake for 55-60min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Step 4
While the cake is baking, make the syrup: in a small pan, gently dissolve the 2tbsp light brown muscovado sugar in 2tbsp water, add most of the lime zest and turn up the heat to a simmer. Stir until the syrup has reduced and thickened, then
stir through stem ginger syrup and extra 1tbsp vodka.
Step 5
Once baked, leave cake in the tin and set on a wire rack. Using a skewer, prick all over and drizzle over 3tbsp of warm syrup, sprinkle with the rest of the demerara sugar, then leave in the tin to cool. Turn out on to a plate, top with crystallised ginger and spoon over remaining syrup and lime zest.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
