This Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread is a rich, dark, deeply spiced cake with a close, moist crumb and a bright lemon icing over the top. It feels like the kind of bake that belongs in a real kitchen, made slowly, left to rest, and sliced when the flavour has had time to settle.
What makes it especially lovely is that it does not rely on anything flashy. The depth comes from black treacle, golden syrup, muscovado sugar, warming spices, and chopped stem ginger, while the lemon icing brings just enough sharpness to stop the cake from feeling too heavy.
Table of contents
- Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread Ingredients
- For the Jamaican Gingerbread
- For the Lemon Icing
- How To Make Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
- Recipe Tips
- What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
- How To Store Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
- Make It Your Own — Creative Twists
- The Orange Icing Version
- The Extra Ginger Version
- The Plain Finish
- The Festive Slice
- Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread Nutrition Facts
- FAQs
Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread Ingredients
For the Jamaican Gingerbread
- 300ml boiling water
- 200g golden syrup
- 175g black treacle
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 120g unsalted butter, softened
- 120g dark muscovado sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 350g self-raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 50g stem ginger, finely chopped
For the Lemon Icing
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus extra if needed
- 250g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra if needed
- Edible gold glitter stars, optional
How To Make Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
Prep the tin: Grease a 20cm square cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4.
Make the syrup base: In a bowl, stir together the boiling water, golden syrup, and black treacle. Add the bicarbonate of soda, stir well, and leave the mixture to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and dark muscovado sugar together until lighter in colour and texture. Gradually beat in the egg until combined.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, self-raising flour, and salt.
Build the batter: Fold one-third of the dry mixture into the butter mixture, then add one-third of the cooled syrup mixture. Continue alternating between the two until everything is fully combined. Stir in the chopped stem ginger.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool and rest: Leave the gingerbread to cool completely in the tin. Once cool, wrap it tightly in foil or cling film and leave it for 24 hours before serving.
Ice the cake: Whisk the lemon juice and icing sugar together until smooth and drizzleable. If it feels too thin, add a little more icing sugar. If too thick, loosen it with a little extra lemon juice or a few drops of water. Drizzle over the gingerbread and scatter with edible glitter stars if using.
Serve: Let the icing set, then cut the gingerbread into neat squares and serve.
Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
Equipment
- 20cm square cake tin
- Baking Parchment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Skewer
Ingredients
For the Jamaican Gingerbread
- 300 ml boiling water
- 200 g golden syrup
- 175 g black treacle
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 120 g unsalted butter softened
- 120 g dark muscovado sugar
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 350 g self-raising flour
- salt pinch
- 50 g stem ginger finely chopped
For the Lemon Icing
- 1 lemon juice only, plus extra if needed
- 250 g icing sugar sifted, plus extra if needed
- edible gold glitter stars for decoration, optional
Instructions
- Grease a 20cm square cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- In a bowl, mix together the boiling water, golden syrup, and black treacle. Add the bicarbonate of soda, stir well, and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale. Gradually add the egg, beating as you go.
- Sift the spices, flour, and salt into another bowl.
- Fold one-third of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, followed by one-third of the cooled syrup. Continue adding the dry ingredients and syrup alternately until smooth, then stir through the stem ginger.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool completely in the tin, then wrap tightly in foil or cling film and keep for 24 hours before serving.
- To make the lemon icing, whisk together the lemon juice and icing sugar until smooth and of a drizzle consistency. Add more sugar if the mixture is too runny, and a little more juice or water if it is too thick.
- Pour or drizzle the icing over the gingerbread and scatter over the edible sparkles if using. Allow to set before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
Recipe Tips
The 24-hour resting time is part of what makes this cake so good. Fresh from the oven it smells wonderful, but by the next day the texture is softer, the crumb is more settled, and the spice feels rounder and deeper.
Do not worry if the batter seems looser than a standard sponge batter. The syrup and treacle give it a wetter consistency, and that is exactly what helps create the sticky, rich texture that makes gingerbread so satisfying.
If you want the neatest finish, wait until the icing has fully set before slicing. A warm knife wiped clean between cuts also helps you get sharp, bakery-style squares.
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What To Serve With Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
This cake is best served simply, with tea or coffee, when you want something comforting rather than overly sweet. The lemon icing gives it enough brightness that it does not need cream or custard.
If you are serving it after dinner, cut it into smaller squares and let it stand on its own. It has enough depth and spice to feel like a proper dessert without needing much alongside it.
How To Store Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread
Keep the gingerbread well wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Because it is made with syrup and treacle, it holds its moisture well and often tastes even better on the second day.
If you want to keep it longer, store it somewhere cool and dry and slice only as needed. This helps the cake stay soft and prevents the icing from becoming tacky too quickly.
Make It Your Own — Creative Twists
The Orange Icing Version
Replace the lemon juice in the icing with orange juice for a softer citrus finish. It gives the cake a slightly warmer flavour and works especially well if you want a gentler contrast to the spices.
The Extra Ginger Version
If you love a stronger ginger hit, add a little extra chopped stem ginger to the batter. Do it lightly so the cake stays balanced rather than sharp.
The Plain Finish
Leave off the glitter stars and keep the top simple if you prefer a more understated look. The cake itself has enough character without extra decoration.
The Festive Slice
Cut the gingerbread into smaller squares and serve it as part of a holiday baking spread. It works especially well beside shortbread, fruit cake, or mince pies because it brings a darker, stickier kind of spice.
Ainsley Harriott Jamaican Gingerbread Nutrition Facts
Per serving, based on 16 squares
Nutrient | Amount
— | —
Calories | 280 kcal
Carbohydrates | 45g
Protein | 3g
Fat | 10g
Saturates | 6g
Sugar | 30g
Salt | 0.3g
FAQs
Yes. In fact, it is better if you do. Leaving it wrapped for 24 hours helps the flavour settle and improves the texture.
No. The cake will still work without it, but the icing adds brightness and balance, especially against the richness of the treacle and muscovado sugar.
This cake is meant to be moist, but it should not be raw. If the centre is underbaked, return it to the oven for a little longer and check again with a skewer.
Yes. Wrap the uniced gingerbread well and freeze it. Defrost fully before adding icing and serving.
