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The glaze on this cake is quite thin and is more like a syrup that will soak through the gingerbread, adding extra moisture and flavor as it does.—Anneka Manning
Your spiced gingerbread questions, answered
To make the lemon rind strips, use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from a lemon. Use a small sharp knife to remove any white pith from the rind and then cut the rind into very fine strips. Or you could use a channel knife and be done with it.
This gingerbread will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, you can freeze it for up to three months.
More zingy gingerbread recipes
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If you make this spiced gingerbread, or any cake recipe on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.—David
Spiced Gingerbread with Lemon Glaze
Ingredients
For the gingerbread
- melted butter, for the baking pan
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
For the lemon glaze
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- lemon rind strips, to decorate, preferably organic (optional)
Instructions
Make the gingerbread
- Crank the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).
- Coat a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with melted butter and line the base and two long sides with one piece of parchment paper, allowing it to overhang the sides.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon table salt. Stir in the 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar, breaking up any lumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Make a well in the center.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cubed 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, 1/2 cup golden syrup or light corn syrup, and 1/2 cup water, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture is heated through.
- Stir in the 1 teaspoon baking soda and allow the mixture to foam. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the 1 large egg, and stir with the wooden spoon until just combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 30 to 45 minutes.
Make the lemon glaze
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the 1 cup confectioners’ sugar and 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and mix until smooth. Cover until ready to use.
- Remove the gingerbread from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Spoon the lemon glaze over the warm cake, spreading it evenly as you go. Scatter over the lemon rind strips, if using. Let cool completely in the pan.
- Use the parchment handles to lift the cooled cake from the pan and place it on a cutting board. Slice into portions to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Did you know only 68% of the recipes we test make it onto the site? This recipe survived our rigorous blind testing process by multiple home cooks. It earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval—and the testers’ reviews below prove it.
This spiced gingerbread with lemon glaze is a perfect snacking cake if I ever saw one. Goes with tea? Goes with coffee? Easy to just slice off a nibble every time you pass the kitchen? Check, check, check.
This recipe is a cinch to whip together and ready to eat in no time. Plus the texture of the gingerbread is light and fluffy and full of flavor. The combination of the spices in the gingerbread and the lemon icing is a perfect marriage. This is definitely going on my unexpected-company-is-coming-and-I-need-something-special-to-serve-now list.
Whether it’s a sweet breakfast, afternoon coffee break, or dessert you’re looking for, this spiced gingerbread with lemon glaze fits the bill. We also had zero regrets about cutting it while it was still warm.
Within 15 minutes, the batter was ready to put into the oven. It fits nicely into a standard bread loaf pan. I wouldn’t recommend making it too far in advance, it was most tasty on day 1 and day 2. Due to family preferences, I didn’t add the lemon rind on top. I don’t think we missed out on the taste but it sure looks pretty! I’m looking forward to making this again very soon.
Gingerbread speaks of autumn! This one is a winner! It was (note the past tense) delicious with a moist crumb, a nice tang from the glaze. The glaze wasn’t as thin as the recipe suggested. It didn’t soak into the cake to much of an extent. but the lemon zest bits on top were a lovely addition.
Next time I make this, I’ll add some lemon extract to the batter, as I would have liked a bit more lemony flavor in the cake. Also, note that I used buttermilk, instead of the water, because I had some. I’d definitely make that a permanent change.
This recipe was easy to pull together, and the end result is a tender, spicy loaf! I love ginger, and it did not disappoint. I didn’t add the lemon zest at the end, but it was still very tasty, and we really enjoyed it. We had it after dinner this evening, and I plan to try it tomorrow morning with coffee! It’s on the list for fall/winter baking. One question—your loaf in the picture is so nice and level on top, mine is not so much. I have a dome. Is there a trick/tip to getting it level during baking? Thanks.
Tannis, I’m thrilled the gingerbread snagged a place on your fall and winter baking list.
Now, about that dome:
First, your cake is gorgeous!
Second, a little rise in the middle is normal for a loaf cake. The edges set first, while the center has a bit longer to rise.
Third, and this is the biggie, that’s made in what’s called an Australian slice tin. (I had to do some digging: The author is Australian, and the photo was taken there. That pan is a Wiltshire 11 x 7-inch pan, so it’s wider, and it delivers a shallower cake. And that’s why it doesn’t really dome.)
My guess is that when the book was published in the US, they reformulated the recipe for US bakeware.
Thanks for digging into the details on the pan size. Appreciate it. Now that I go back and look at the picture I can see that the pan is wider. Thanks again.
Of course, Tannis. Always happy to help!
Made the gingerbread cake with lemon glaze substituting honey for corn syrup and lime juice and lime peel for lemon on the glaze. I thought it needed more spice- maybe some cinnamon or a little cloves. It tasted good, but very bland to me. The citrus glaze was definitely needed, or it would have been totally blah.
Nadine, your “bland” sent me back to the recipe, and I noticed there’s no salt in the gingerbread. That could be part of it. The One and I made a heavily spiced dish tonight that tasted weirdly flat, and we wondered whether our spices had lost their oomph. Do you know whether your ground ginger and allspice (or pumpkin pie spice) are fairly fresh? I’m glad the lime glaze gave it some zing, and I appreciate your honest note. I’ll be revising the recipe.