Mary Berry Jamaican Ginger Cake Recipe

Mary Berry’s Jamaican ginger cake is a dark, sticky, intensely spiced loaf cake inspired by the classic McVitie’s — the best homemade version you will find.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Cooling Time 2

Total Time 3 5

Servings: 12 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 235

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Jamaican Ginger Cake:
175 g plain flour sifted
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
100 g unsalted butter cubed
100 g soft dark brown sugar
3 tbsp black treacle
3 tbsp golden syrup
150 ml whole milk
2 large eggs beaten
3 balls stem ginger finely chopped
2 tbsp stem ginger syrup
Sticky Ginger Glaze:
3 tbsp stem ginger syrup
2 tbsp icing sugar sifted

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C / 140°C fan / Gas 3. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin.
Melt butter, dark brown sugar, treacle, and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat — stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
Add milk, beaten eggs, chopped stem ginger, and ginger syrup — stir well. Sift flour, spices, and bicarbonate of soda into the liquid — stir to a smooth, dark, runny batter.
Pour into tin. Bake 50–60 minutes until skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely after 35 minutes if darkening.
Mix ginger syrup and icing sugar — brush generously over warm cake. Cool completely in tin — 2 hours. Slice.

Notes

Black treacle gives the dark colour and warming depth — do not substitute with golden syrup alone.

Use both stem ginger and ground ginger — gives background warmth and vivid pockets of ginger.

The runny batter is correct — do not add more flour.

Bake at a low temperature — treacle and dark sugar burn easily at higher heat.

Gets better every day — make it at least a day ahead. Keeps up to 1 week.