Adding just-boiled water to the batter helps to keep this spiced cake light, while still being incredibly moist.
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Yields:
20 serving(s)
Prep Time:
45 mins
Cook Time:
45 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 30 mins
Cal/Serv:
578
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKES
250g
unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra to grease
500g
plain flour
1tsp.
bicarbonate of soda
75g
cocoa powder
2tsp.
ground cinnamon, plus extra to dust
1Tbsp.
ground ginger
300g
light brown soft sugar
175g
black treacle
175g
golden syrup
4
medium eggs, beaten
FOR THE FROSTING
300g
unsalted butter
1tsp.
vanilla extract
500g
full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
400g
icing sugar, sifted
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and grease and line 2 x 20.5cm round, loose-bottomed tins (at least 4cm deep) with baking parchment. For the cakes, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa powder, spices and a pinch of fine salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Step 2In a medium pan, gently heat the butter, sugar, black treacle and golden syrup until melted and combined. Pour into the dry ingredient bowl and whisk until combined. Whisk in the eggs followed by 175ml just-boiled water from the kettle.
Step 3Divide mixture evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 40-45min, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tins.
Step 4For the frosting, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cream cheese, followed by the icing sugar, until light and fluffy.
Step 5Trim the tops of the cakes to level, if needed, then slice the cakes in 1/2 horizontally and sandwich back together with generous layers of frosting. Smooth the remaining frosting over the top, using a palette knife, leaving the sides bare. Lightly dust with cinnamon and serve in slices.
GET AHEAD Bake cakes up to a day ahead. Wrap cooled cakes (still in tins) in clingfilm and store at room temperature. Complete recipe to serve.
TO STORE Loosely wrap and chill for up to 3 days. Allow to come up to room temperature before serving.
Per serving:
What to read next
Calories: 578
Protein: 7g
Fat: 31g
Saturates: 19g
Carbs: 68g
Sugars: 48g
Fibre: 2g
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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”!).
