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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
55 minutes
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makes
1 (9x9-inch) cake
Author Notes
This easy cake can be made two ways—and both are terribly delicious. The cake is amazing all on its own: fold the crystallized ginger in, or sprinkle it over the surface of the batter in the pan, where it will bake into a beautifully dimpled cake studded with ginger chunks. Or add the optional streusel for a more coffee-cake-like experience for just a teensy bit of extra effort. It’s excellent with just about any hot beverage of your choice. Finish with powdered sugar, or leave it plain—this is one of those cakes that’s reliably delicious, any way you slice it. —Erin Jeanne McDowell
Test Kitchen Notes
Bake It Up a Notch is a column by Resident Baking BFF Erin Jeanne McDowell. Each month, she'll help take our baking game to the next level, teaching us all the need-to-know tips and techniques and pointing out all the mistakes to avoid along the way. —The Editors
Watch This Recipe
Gingery Spice Cake
Ingredients
- Cake
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Cooking spray
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1 cup
(226 grams) unsalted butter, melted
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1 cup
(198 grams) granulated sugar
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1/2 cup
(106 grams) light or dark brown sugar
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2
large (113 grams) eggs, room temperature
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1 teaspoon
(5 grams) vanilla extract
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1 1/4 cups
(282 grams) buttermilk, room temperature, divided
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2 cups
(240 grams) all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup
(99 grams) old-fashioned oats
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1 tablespoon
(9 grams) ground ginger
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1 teaspoon
(4 grams) baking powder
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1 teaspoon
(3 grams) ground cinnamon
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3/4 teaspoon
(3 grams) fine sea salt
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1/2 teaspoon
(2 grams) ground cardamom
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1/2 teaspoon
(2 grams) ground cloves
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1/4 teaspoon
(<1 grams) freshly ground nutmeg
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1/3 cup
(60 grams) finely chopped crystallized ginger (see headnote)
- Streusel (Optional) and Assembly
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1/2 cup
(60 grams) all-purpose flour
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1/3
packed cup (70 grams) light or dark brown sugar
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1/4 cup
(25 grams) old-fashioned oats
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Pinch
of fine sea salt
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6 tablespoons
(85 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
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1/4 cup
(45 grams) finely chopped crystallized ginger
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Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
Directions
- Cake
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Arrange a rack in the center of the oven; heat to 350°F. Grease a 9x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
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In a large bowl, whisk the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to incorporate after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
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Whisk in half of the buttermilk. Add the flour, oats, ground ginger, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg and fold with a silicone spatula until the batter is smooth and evenly combined. Add the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk and mix to combine. If desired, fold in the crystallized ginger (or reserve it to sprinkle over the batter).
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer (if you reserved the ginger, sprinkle it on top).
- Streusel (Optional) and Assembly
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In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt to combine. Add the butter and use a pastry cutter or your hands to cut the butter into the flour mixture until moist crumbs form. Stir in the crystallized ginger. Sprinkle the streusel in an even layer over the surface of the cake.
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Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
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Let the cake cool in the pan before slicing and serving. Dust with powdered sugar, if using.
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!
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