Bready or Not: British-Style Gingerbread

I adore famed British baker Mary Berry, one of the original judges on the Great British Bake Off. This British-Style Gingerbread recipe is modified from her cookbook Cooking with Mary Berry.

She has published a ton of cookbooks in the UK, but this particular cookbook has the measurements translated to American standards! Click on the picture below to order a copy for yourself–but maybe try my take on one of her recipes first, as it’s a great example of what you’ll find.

I’ve eaten and baked a number of American-style gingerbread recipe. This one is different in a lot of ways. First of all, the cooking method. It’s prepared on the stovetop, then baked.

The end result is tall, spongy, and cakey, with a solid ginger kick. And like chocolate recipes, this gingerbread actually improves after a day, as the flavors become deeper and more complex. Almost coffee-like, though it contains no coffee.

Oh yeah, and it’s REALLY REALLY GOOD.

The sporadic candied ginger pieces throughout add vivid pops of flavor, in an already ginger-filled cake.

This would be especially good paired with tea, coffee, or a good, stout beer (Guinness, in particular, comes to mind).

Print Recipe

Bready or Not: British-Style Gingerbread

This recipe, modified from Baking with Mary Berry, produces a British-style gingerbread cake that is spicier and more complex than the usual American gingerbread. The flavors deepens and improves after a day.

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: British

Keyword: cake, gingerbread

Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

• 9x13 casserole pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
• 1 cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
• 1 cup molasses
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 5 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 3 pieces candied ginger coarsely chopped
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 2 teaspoons baking soda

Instructions

• Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line baking pan with aluminum and apply butter or nonstick spray.
• In a large pot, warm the butter, sugar, and molasses until it is combined and smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Mix the flour and spices into the big pot, followed by the eggs and the candied ginger pieces.
• In a small saucepan, warm the milk--don't boil! Add the baking soda. Pour into the gingerbread mixture and mix together.
• Pour everything into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. When done, it will be spongy to the touch and pass the toothpick test in the middle.
• Let cool in pan, either at room temperature or in the fridge. Once cool, use the foil to lift onto a cutting board and slice into bars.
• Store in a covered dish with waxed paper or parchment between the layers. Flavor will grow deeper and more complex over the next day.

OM NOM NOM!