My gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake recipe is back and better than ever! The McVitie’s one in the supermarket was my inspo for this one, but I like to think I’ve improved upon it a little too. Mine’s easily adapted to be dairy free with one swap too!
As a McVitie’s Jamaica ginger loaf cake contains gluten, it’s been yeeeeears since I’d enjoyed a slice… but that changes now! No, I haven’t been magically cured… I just made my very own gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake!
It’s been over a year since I first posted this recipe, so I decided to come back and update things a little. Hello!
Why is it that whenever you do anything creative, you come back and look at later and think… bloody hell, that’s rubbish!!
(I’m more talking about my old photos for this recipe, rather than the recipe itself!)
So I thought I’d come back and not only take some new snaps, but I’d sort of make a new and improved version of this recipe too. It’s been a favourite on the blog for well over a year now!
So what’s new and improved then?
(I read that in my head in a really skeptical tone for some reason!)
Well, I’ve doubledthe amount of ground ginger so it’s twice as firey and twice as warming. Also, I’ve swapped gluten free plain flour forgluten free self-raising flour as I never got the rise on it that I wanted in the past.
Lastly, I’ve also added that magic ingredient… Xanthan gum!
In case you have no idea what that is, it basically makes gluten free baking function. That’s all you need to know. It stops the cake from falling apart and becoming crumbly!
And I promise you – this cake is soooo easy and simple to make!
Ok it’ll never be as simple as picking up a McVitie’s Jamaica ginger loaf cake from a supermarket shelf. But I promise you, this one is better!
(I would say that though, wouldn’t I?!)
So I can’t promise that whipping up mygluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake will be as fast as nipping down to the supermarket, but I think the smell of fresh baking more than makes it worth it, don’t you think?!
Ok, here’s the recipe! You can easily make this vegan by replacing the egg with 3 tbsp of aquafaba and using a dairy-free alternative to butter btw.
Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe
My gluten free Jamaican Ginger loaf cake recipe is a new and improved version of the McVitie's one I used to buy in supermarkets. Mine's dairy free too!
SERVINGS: 10 people
Ingredients
- 170 g gluten free self-raising flour (sifted, I use Doves)
- 70 g black treacle
- 70 g golden syrup
- 70 g dark brown soft sugar
- 70 g butter or dairy-free alternative
- 3-4 tsp ground ginger depending on how firey you like it!
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum
- 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 egg beaten
Instructions
Grease a 2lb loaf tin (900g) with greaseproof/parchment paper. This will not only stop it sticking, but also help you get the cake out later! I like to leave a bit of excess greaseproof paper so I can easily lift the cake out when it's cooled.
Preheat the oven to about 170C or 160C fan.
Place your black treacle, golden syrup, dark brown soft sugar and dairy free spread into a saucepan with 70ml of water. Gently heat and stir until completely melted. (Don't allow it to boil!)
Sift your flour, Xanthan gum and spices into a mixing bowl and then add your warm syrup/treacle mixture to it. Beat together using a wooden spoon until lovely and smooth,
Add half your beaten egg and mix thoroughly, then repeat with the other half.
In a small dish, add 2 tbsp of water to the bicarbonate of soda, mix until well combined and then add to your main bowl too. Mix once more. Your final mixture should now look nice and smooth, with a runny consistency.
Pour your mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes. It should have a nice, dark exterior when it's done - but not a burnt one!!
Once baked allow to cool.The cake should be almost firm to touch, but will firm up more as it cools.
This is a cake best left to mature flavour wise for as long as you can manage. But I completely understand if you can't wait... maybe one cheeky slice straight away!
Enjoy!
Notes
LOW FODMAP GUIDANCE
You can easily make this vegan by replacing the egg with 3 tbsp of aquafaba and using a dairy-free alternative to butter btw.
Black treacle (molasses) and Golden Syrup are high FODMAP in excess serving sizes (Black treacle: 5g, Golden syrup: 7g).
So it might be a good idea to wait until after the elimination phase of the diet to give this a go!
Thanks for reading how to make my gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake recipe!If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creation and tag me on Instagram!
Plus, I’m giving away a £50 supermarket voucher every month to my fave pic, so get baking!
Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me onInstagram and leaving me a comment!
Looking for something else to bake? Why not give my gluten free lemon drizzle cake a go?
Thanks for reading,
Becky xxx
Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!
Gluten-Free Recipe
FAQs
Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.
Should I let my gluten-free cake batter rest before baking? ›
We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.
Can I use gluten-free flour instead of cake flour? ›
If you are trying to convert a recipe to gluten free that calls for using wheat based cake flour, simply use my gfJules™ All Purpose Gluten Free Flour, which already has a protein and starch structure similar to cake flour, or follow the recipe below: What is this?
What makes a gluten-free cake rise? ›
To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture. Even ingredients like eggs may be increased to provide the necessary structure and improved crumb.
Do gluten-free cakes need more liquid? ›
Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.
What gluten-free flour is best for cakes? ›
What's the best gluten-free flour for baking? Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking mix is my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for baking. It has a mild texture and plenty of "stick" thanks to a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour, plus some starches and xanthan gum.
What to avoid for gluten free baking? ›
Some baking ingredients that contain gluten (and thus are not suitable for a gluten-free diet) include:
- Wheat.
- Semolina.
- Spelt.
- Durum.
- Emmer.
- Einkorn.
- Rye, sometimes referred to as pumpernickel.
- Barley.
4. Lighten up your batters. If gluten-free cakes aren't falling apart, they often turn out heavy and unpleasantly dense. That's because gluten creates little pockets of air, so baked goods turn out springy and fluffy; gluten-free flours and grains are lacking this crucial element.
Why is my gluten-free cake sinking in the middle? ›
YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING
You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free.
Do I need to add xanthan gum to gluten-free flour? ›
Xanthan Gum adds thickness and viscosity to gluten-free breads and other baked goods. Without xanthan gum, your gluten-free baked goods would be dry, crumbly and flat. Because xanthan gum is gluten-free and vegan, it's the preferred thickener for those home bakers with food allergies.
Because our pastry flour has less protein than all purpose flour, it's ideal for many lighter baking purposes. In addition to making pastry, it can be used in place of cake flour in your favorite cake recipes. It's also a wonderful flour for biscuits, scones, cookies, muffins, pound cake and more.
Is peanut butter gluten-free? ›
In its natural form, both peanuts and peanut butter are gluten-free. Many store-bought brands of peanut butter are also gluten-free, with gluten-containing peanut butter tending to be the exception rather than the rule.
How do you add moisture to a gluten-free cake? ›
Honey and agave as a sugar substitute can enhance moisture as well, but be aware that you should cut down slightly on the other liquids you are using in the recipe, as honey and agave are not solid ingredients. Adding an extra egg or oil can also help, but use caution.
Why did my gluten-free cake turn out gummy? ›
Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture.
What does cream of tartar do in gluten free baking? ›
When combined with baking soda, it becomes a leavening agent (the stuff that makes baked goods puff up in the oven) by producing carbon dioxide gas. If you ever run out of baking powder, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon baking soda plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
How do you keep gluten-free baked goods from drying out? ›
Add more fat or liquid: It might just be that you need a bit more moisture in your recipe, especially if you're converting a regular “gluten-ful” recipe to gluten-free. Try adding anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup of liquid or fat to the recipe and see if that helps.
Why are my gluten-free cakes so dry? ›
Some gluten free flours will produce a cake which is on the dry side. This might be due to the lack of gluten but can be for many other reasons. Lots of gluten free flour is rice based and this can result in a dry and slightly gritty texture.
How do you increase moisture in gluten-free baking? ›
Honey and agave as a sugar substitute can enhance moisture as well, but be aware that you should cut down slightly on the other liquids you are using in the recipe, as honey and agave are not solid ingredients. Adding an extra egg or oil can also help, but use caution.
Why is my gluten-free cake gooey? ›
With gluten-free baking, we use a combination of gluten-free flours, starches, and a binder (like xanthan gum). These ingredients take longer to set than regular gluten-containing flour, meaning they may remain slightly “gummy” or sticky until they have cooled.
