Vegan Ginger Loaf Cake with Orange & Almond
Gently spiced and with a tender crumb, a slice of this Vegan Ginger Loaf Cake is the ideal treat to serve in autumn and winter. Subtle hints of orange and almonds add to the flavour and a generous splurge of sweet, orange icing complete the package. Who wants seconds?
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 75 g/ ⅓ cup Caster sugar
- 75 g/ ⅓ cup Dark brown sugar
- 175 g/ 1 ⅓ cup Plain (all purpose) flour
- 50 g/ ⅓ cup Ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 4 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 60 ml/ ¼ cup Groundnut oil (or other flavourless oil)
- 120 ml/ ½ cup Almond milk
- 100 ml/ ⅓ cup + 4tsp Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- ¾ teaspoon Almond extract
- ¾ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Syrup from a jar of stem ginger
- Zest from 2 oranges (finely grated)
For the Icing
- 160 g/ 1 ¼ cup Icing sugar
- 25 ml (5 tsp) Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
Garnish
- Flaked almonds
- Crystalised ginger (chopped fine)
Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 170C/ 325F/ GM3 and grease & line a loaf tin with baking parchment
- Begin by removing lumps from the brown sugar by crushing with a spoon, rubbing between fingers or pulsing through a food processor
- Measure all dry ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl (sugars, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, spices & salt. Stir to combine
- Measure all wet ingredients into a jug. (oil, milk, juice, extracts, syrup). Whisk with a balloon whisk until blended. Add the orange zest
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and beat together with the balloon whisk until just combined. Take care not to over-mix as the glutens in the flour will begin to develop and adversely affect the cake texture
- Pour the cake batter into the loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes. After 50 minutes test with a skewer - if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. If not, return to the oven and bake for a few more minutes before testing again.
- Once baked, set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and parchment and let cool completely on a wire rack
Decorating
- Mix the icing sugar with 3 tsp of orange juice until smooth. keep adding more orange juice, bit by bit, until a soft-dropping consistency has been obtained. Too thick and the icing will not spread easily over the cake, too runny and it will just fall off the cake
- Once ready, spoon the icing over the cake and guide it with a palette knife to cover the top - it will begin to drip down the sides
- Sprinkle finely chopped crystallised ginger and almond flakes across the top of the cake
- Leave to set slightly before serving
- Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days