Equipment
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cake
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g baking soda
- 4 g ground ginger
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg
- 3 g salt
- 115 g unsalted butter, softened
- 100 g dark brown sugar
- 170 g molasses
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 120 ml buttermilk, room temperature
Ginger Syrup
- 240 ml water
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 30 g fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
Baked Peaches
- 400 g peaches, sliced
- 30 g unsalted butter, melted
- 40 g dark brown sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat oven to 175 C or 350 F.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
Cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat the molasses and egg into the creamed butter mixture until completely smooth.
Fold the dry flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately into the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Transfer the cake batter into a greased 20x20cm baking pan, spreading it into an even layer.
Bake the gingerbread at 175 C or 350 F for 30 minutes.
Simmer the water, granulated sugar, and sliced fresh ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat while the cake bakes.
Strain the hot ginger syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof vessel to remove the ginger slices.
Toss the sliced peaches with melted butter and dark brown sugar in a separate bowl.
Roast the prepared peaches on a baking sheet at 175 C or 350 F for 15 minutes.
Score deep holes all over the warm, baked gingerbread cake using a wooden skewer.
Pour the warm ginger syrup evenly over the pierced cake, allowing it to soak completely into the sponge.
Arrange the warm roasted peaches evenly over the top of the syrup-soaked gingerbread.
Serve the warm soaked cake immediately while the flavors are at their peak.
Chef's Notes
- Using robust molasses provides the deep, slightly bitter backbone needed to balance the sweet ginger syrup and rich peaches.
- Leave the skins on your peaches if roasting; it helps them hold their delicate shape and provides a lovely rosy hue to the finished dish.
- Do not rush the soaking step. Allowing the syrup to fully permeate the warm sponge over ten minutes is what transforms this from a standard cake into a true pudding-like dessert.
- For a cleaner presentation, slice the unsoaked cake first, plate the squares, and pour the warm syrup individually over each portion.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The syrup will continue to soften the cake over time.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze without the peaches. Thaw overnight and add fresh baked peaches before serving.
Reheating: Warm individual portions in the microwave for 30 seconds or in a 150C oven until heated through.
