Ginger and satsuma cake

This sticky ginger and satsuma cake is perfect for colder weather with its warming blend of spices and delicate orange flavour. The recipe is inspired by the heated glasshouse that once stood in the garden at Florence Court.

25 mintues prep. time
45 minutes cooking time
Serves 8
Cakes, bakes & desserts, Christmas

Ginger and satsuma cake on a cooling rack with satsumas behind the cake — Ginger and satsuma cake | © National Trust Images/William Shaw

2 satsumas
500g self-raising flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground mixed spice
500ml milk
230g brown sugar
230g treacle
230g golden syrup
80g ginger in syrup, drained weight, chopped
230g butter
2 eggs

For the frosting

40g butter
40g margarine
60ml syrup from ginger
300g icing sugar

Top tip

This recipe uses a deep baking tin, but brownie tins also work well.

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Video

Ginger and satsuma cake

Watch the step-by-step video for this tasty ginger and satsuma cake recipe.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan/gas mark 4).

Step 2

Line two 23cm x 18cm x 4cm deep baking tins with baking parchment.

Step 3

Thinly slice the satsumas, removing any pips, and layer in the bottom of just one of the trays.

Step 4

Mix together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and all the spices.

Step 5

Pour the milk into a pan and heat up, then add in the brown sugar, treacle, golden syrup and chopped ginger, and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 6

Remove from the heat, add the butter and continue stirring until melted, then beat in the eggs.

Step 7

Sprinkle the flour mix into the treacle mix and use a balloon whisk to mix in really well.

Step 8

Divide the mixture between the baking tins and bake for 35–45 minutes or until risen, spongy and shrinking from the tin sides slightly.

Step 9

Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 20 minutes.

Step 10

Place a sheet of baking parchment over the top of the plain ginger cake (the one without the satsumas), cover this with a tray and turn upside down to release the cake, then peel away the baking parchment from the bottom of the cake.

Step 11

For the frosting

Place the icing sugar and syrup from the ginger in a bowl and mix together, then add in the butter and margarine and mix well until you have a thick frosting.

Step 12

Spread the frosting over the plain ginger cake and then turn out the satsuma-based ginger cake on the top, so the satsumas are on the top of the cake.