Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe (dairy free) (2024)

My gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake recipe is back and better than ever! The McVitie’s one in the supermarket was my inspo for this one, but I like to think I’ve improved upon it a little too. Mine’s easily adapted to be dairy free with one swap too!

As a McVitie’s Jamaica ginger loaf cake contains gluten, it’s been yeeeeears since I’d enjoyed a slice… but that changes now! No, I haven’t been magically cured… I just made my very own gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake!

It’s been over a year since I first posted this recipe, so I decided to come back and update things a little. Hello!

Why is it that whenever you do anything creative, you come back and look at later and think… bloody hell, that’s rubbish!!

(I’m more talking about my old photos for this recipe, rather than the recipe itself!)

So I thought I’d come back and not only take some new snaps, but I’d sort of make a new and improved version of this recipe too. It’s been a favourite on the blog for well over a year now!

So what’s new and improved then?

(I read that in my head in a really skeptical tone for some reason!)

Well, I’ve doubledthe amount of ground ginger so it’s twice as firey and twice as warming. Also, I’ve swapped gluten free plain flour forgluten free self-raising flour as I never got the rise on it that I wanted in the past.

Lastly, I’ve also added that magic ingredient… Xanthan gum!

In case you have no idea what that is, it basically makes gluten free baking function. That’s all you need to know. It stops the cake from falling apart and becoming crumbly!

And I promise you – this cake is soooo easy and simple to make!

Ok it’ll never be as simple as picking up a McVitie’s Jamaica ginger loaf cake from a supermarket shelf. But I promise you, this one is better!

(I would say that though, wouldn’t I?!)

So I can’t promise that whipping up mygluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake will be as fast as nipping down to the supermarket, but I think the smell of fresh baking more than makes it worth it, don’t you think?!

Ok, here’s the recipe! You can easily make this vegan by replacing the egg with 3 tbsp of aquafaba and using a dairy-free alternative to butter btw.

Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe (dairy free) (4)

Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe

My gluten free Jamaican Ginger loaf cake recipe is a new and improved version of the McVitie's one I used to buy in supermarkets. Mine's dairy free too!

SERVINGS: 10 people

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4.65 from 162 votes

Ingredients

  • 170 g gluten free self-raising flour (sifted, I use Doves)
  • 70 g black treacle
  • 70 g golden syrup
  • 70 g dark brown soft sugar
  • 70 g butter or dairy-free alternative
  • 3-4 tsp ground ginger depending on how firey you like it!
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Xanthan gum
  • 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 egg beaten

Instructions

  • Grease a 2lb loaf tin (900g) with greaseproof/parchment paper. This will not only stop it sticking, but also help you get the cake out later! I like to leave a bit of excess greaseproof paper so I can easily lift the cake out when it's cooled.

  • Preheat the oven to about 170C or 160C fan.

  • Place your black treacle, golden syrup, dark brown soft sugar and dairy free spread into a saucepan with 70ml of water. Gently heat and stir until completely melted. (Don't allow it to boil!)

  • Sift your flour, Xanthan gum and spices into a mixing bowl and then add your warm syrup/treacle mixture to it. Beat together using a wooden spoon until lovely and smooth,

  • Add half your beaten egg and mix thoroughly, then repeat with the other half.

  • In a small dish, add 2 tbsp of water to the bicarbonate of soda, mix until well combined and then add to your main bowl too. Mix once more. Your final mixture should now look nice and smooth, with a runny consistency.

  • Pour your mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes. It should have a nice, dark exterior when it's done - but not a burnt one!!

  • Once baked allow to cool.The cake should be almost firm to touch, but will firm up more as it cools.

  • This is a cake best left to mature flavour wise for as long as you can manage. But I completely understand if you can't wait... maybe one cheeky slice straight away!

  • Enjoy!

Notes

LOW FODMAP GUIDANCE

You can easily make this vegan by replacing the egg with 3 tbsp of aquafaba and using a dairy-free alternative to butter btw.

Black treacle (molasses) and Golden Syrup are high FODMAP in excess serving sizes (Black treacle: 5g, Golden syrup: 7g).

So it might be a good idea to wait until after the elimination phase of the diet to give this a go!

Thanks for reading how to make my gluten free Jamaican ginger loaf cake recipe!If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creation and tag me on Instagram!

Plus, I’m giving away a £50 supermarket voucher every month to my fave pic, so get baking!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me onInstagram and leaving me a comment!

Looking for something else to bake? Why not give my gluten free lemon drizzle cake a go?

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

Oh and don’t forget to pin this for later!

Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe (dairy free) (6)

Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe (dairy free) (7)
Gluten-Free Recipe

Gluten Free Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake Recipe (dairy free) (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep gluten-free cake moist? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

How do you make gluten-free cake rise? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Who makes Jamaican ginger cake? ›

Dubbed as the original and best for over 50 years, McVities Jamaica Ginger Cake is a moist, sweet loaf cake with a delicious ginger 'kick' that is guaranteed to delight the taste buds.

What is gluten-free cake made of? ›

A gluten-free cake is different to a 'regular' cake because it's made using gluten-free ingredients, while a regular cake will contain wheat flour that contains gluten. Rice flour, soya flour, and gluten-free oat flour are just some of the alternative ingredients that can be used in gluten-free cakes.

Which gluten free flour is best for cakes? ›

Adding sorghum or tapioca flour to a blend increases softness and absorbency, which is ideal for lighter cakes and pastries.

Why are my gluten-free cakes so dry? ›

Moisture – for some reason gluten-free cakes tend to get a little dry. Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.

What is the secret to gluten free baking? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

What to avoid for gluten free baking? ›

Some baking ingredients that contain gluten (and thus are not suitable for a gluten-free diet) include:
  • Wheat.
  • Semolina.
  • Spelt.
  • Durum.
  • Emmer.
  • Einkorn.
  • Rye, sometimes referred to as pumpernickel.
  • Barley.
Mar 29, 2021

What does baking soda do in gluten free baking? ›

Texture and Rise: Gluten-free baking often requires a bit of finesse to achieve the desired rise and texture. Baking soda's reaction with an acid can help achieve that necessary lift, while baking powder provides an extra boost when the batter or dough is exposed to heat.

What's the difference between Jamaican ginger and regular ginger? ›

The flavor varies based on where it grows. Chinese and African ginger are very hot, while Jamaican and Hawaiian ginger tend to be milder and sweeter.

Can you freeze Jamaican ginger cake? ›

Best served at room temperature Once opened refridgerat and store in an air tight container consume with in 3days. Suitable for freezing: Freeze straight away, consume within 2 months.

Does Aldi sell ginger cake? ›

Chocolate Gingerbread Cake - ALDI UK. This wonderfully moist gingerbread cake comes with a luxuriously chocolatey twist.

What is the best tasting gluten-free cake mix? ›

With the following favorites, you truly can have your cake and eat it too.
  • BOB'S RED MILL GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX. ...
  • PAMELA'S CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX GLUTEN-FREE NON-DAIRY. ...
  • SIMPLE MILLS NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE MUFFIN & CAKE MIX. ...
  • KING ARTHUR FLOUR GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX. ...
  • NAMASTE GLUTEN FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX.

What helps gluten-free cakes rise? ›

Gluten-free flour blends don't have the same elasticity as flour containing gluten so often the cakes don't rise as much or will sink after rising. To combat the flat cake problem, I add ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe even when using a self-raising gluten-free flour blend.

What helps keep the gluten from forming so it becomes tender and moist? ›

Fats, such as butter and oils, slow down the gluten-forming process by coating the protein strands, which is one reason enriched doughs such as brioche call for longer mixing times. The coating acts like a barrier that prevents gluten proteins from sticking to one another, stunting the growth of long chains.

What can I put on my cake to keep it moist? ›

The simplest version of simple syrup, or soak, is nothing more than equal parts granulated sugar dissolved into water. The basic soak alone will do great things for your cake, especially in terms of moisture.

How do you keep a gluten-free cake from sinking? ›

YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING

You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free. b.

Why is my gluten-free cake gooey? ›

Even when fully cooked, gluten-free baked goods often look underdone, are slightly wet inside, and feel soft to the touch. Only when they cool do the starches set and firm up.

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