Ginger Layer Cake

Servings :

Total Time:

10 people

1 hour 10 minutes

Step 1

Sift all the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or use a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Mix (or pulse) on low speed to combine.

Step 2

Add the cubed butter and mix (or pulse) for a couple of minutes until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Step 3

Gradually add the eggs and honey while mixing on medium speed. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl.

Step 4

Add the milk and zest and beat on medium speed for a minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. Continue mixing for a couple of minutes at maximum speed until batter is smooth.

Step 5

Fold 3 tablespoons of the chopped ginger into the batter, reserving the rest for topping, and divide between the cake tins. Bake for 50 minutes, until cakes are springy to the touch, coming away from the tin edges and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

Step 6

Use a wire cake cutter to slice off the tops of the cakes (and secretly eat them, I mean share them!) and then neatly slice them in half to create four layers.

Step 7

HOW TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING Only use full-fat cream cheese or mascarpone. Put in the bowl of your stand mixer together with icing sugar, double (heavy) cream, ground cinnamon and vanilla paste. Mix on low speed to combine – and avoid a powdered sugar storm – then increase the speed until the frosting holds peaks.

Step 8

Pipe or smooth the frosting over the cake, adding sliced pears and some of the poaching syrup between the layers. Repeat until you have used all the layers.

Step 9

Pipe frosting over the top of the cake and decorate with half a pear, sliced and fanned out. Drizzle with more syrup and top with the remaining chopped ginger. This cake is best eaten soon after it is assembled though it will last about a day in the fridge.

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