Sticky Ginger and Orange Cake for the 'Make A Wish' Charity Bake Sale

I love baking for family, friends and work colleagues. They are a terribly appreciative bunch. But baking in aid of charity can amplify the baking feel-good factor by the equivalent of an exceptional rise on a dough Paul Hollywood would be proud to call his own. 

When the folks at goodtoknow emailed to ask if I'd like to be involved in the Bake A Wish bake sale in aid of Make A Wish charity I'd tied on my apron and preheated the oven faster than I'd typed 'Yes!' and pressed 'Send' on the laptop.

Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK was established in 1986 and has since granted more than 8,000 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Launched earlier this month, Bake-A-Wish aims to raise as much money as possible for the charity. 

Interested in taking part?

Read more here.

Photo courtesy of goodtoknow

To celebrate the first fledgling days of Autumn I baked a warming, spiced Ginger And Orange Cake and popped it along to the Bake Sale held at goodtoknow HQ earlier this week. My little cake sat alongside delicious contributions from the likes of Eric Lanlard, Fiona Cairns and The Great British Bake Off winner Jo Wheatley and the bake sale raised almost £500. 

Sticky Ginger and Orange Cake 

125g unsalted softened butter

125g black treacle

125g golden syrup

150ml milk

125g dark muscovado sugar

225g sifted plain flour

4 tsps ground ginger

half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 balls of stem ginger, finely chopped

For the icing:

100g icing sugar

finely grated zest and juice of an orange 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 170C/350F/Gas Mark 4

2. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin 

3. Place the butter, treacle, syrup, milk and sugar in a pan over a gentle heat, stirring together until melted. Remove from the heat

4. In a large bowl sift the flour, ginger and bicarb together

5. Add the treacle mixture and fold together

6. Add the beaten eggs and stem ginger and mix well

7.  Pour the batter in the prepared tin and knock the tin against a work surface a couple of times to release any air bubbles

8. Pop in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes until firm to touch

9. Cool in the tin for fifteen minutes then turn out onto a rack

10. To make the icing: sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and add in the zest. Gradually add the juice until a smooth, thick 'ribbons' are formed. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Baker's notes...

• You could make this a Triple Ginger Cake by decorating with crystallised ginger
• Instead of an orange icing, lime or lemon would work just as deliciously
• This cake will keep for up to five days stored in an airtight tin 

Photo courtesy of goodtoknow