This slow cooker sticky ginger cake is wonderfully moist, soft and full of warming ginger flavour. With its lovely sticky finish and hints of spice, it’s a comforting homemade cake that is perfect for autumn and winter. Cooking it in the slow cooker keeps things simple and frees up your oven for other things.
This recipe is inspired by traditional Jamaican ginger cake, using dark muscovado sugar and golden syrup to capture those classic, rich caramel undertones.
Baking it gently in the slow cooker creates a dense, incredibly soft texture that is beautifully reminiscent of that iconic, sticky bakery loaf – with the crystallised ginger pieces adding lovely bursts of sweet heat throughout.
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
Inspired by the classic flavours of old-fashioned gingerbread, this simplified recipe delivers all the nostalgic taste in an easy-to-make cake. Using a combination of golden syrup, dark brown muscovado sugar, ground ginger, a touch of ground allspice, and crystallised ginger, it creates a beautifully balanced, aromatic sponge.
It produces a cake that actually improves with time; keeping it wrapped in a tin for a few days allows the flavours to settle and mature.
Best of all, making this slow cooker gingerbread gives you a nice contrast in texture – a beautifully soft center with irresistible, slightly crunchy edges. It is a comforting winter treat that you’ll love to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
Slow cooker Baking
Why bake this in a slow cooker? Whether you are a experienced baker or a novice, what can be easier than putting the cake mixture in a slow cooker.
You can leave it to bake slowly away while you get on with something else.
If you forget about it, it won’t instantly burn, so it is great if you are busy with your work or your family. The cake turns out wonderfully moist too.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this slow cooker ginger cake. Get the quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- butter – I use unsalted butter, softened.
- dark Muscovado sugar – provides a rich foundation of natural molasses moisture and a deep caramel sweetness that is essential for a true sticky ginger cake.
- caster sugar – golden caster sugar or normal caster sugar can be used.
- self-raising flour (self-rising)
- eggs – I prefer free range medium eggs.
- ground ginger – adds a smooth, warming background heat that complements the sweet punch of the crystallised ginger pieces.
- allspice – also known as pimento, this is typical of authentic Jamaican ginger cake, bringing a unique, peppery warmth that tastes like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves combined.
- crystallised ginger – adds bursts of intense, sweet heat throughout the cake.
- golden syrup – adds a smooth, mellow sweetness that helps bind the crumb together, keeping the cake incredibly soft and glossy.
Step by step
- Line your slow cooker pot with baking paper. I use a round 3.5 litre slow cooker.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one by one and mix in well.
- Fold in the flour, ginger, allspice and crystallised ginger until well combined.
- Add the golden syrup and mix through.
- Pour the mixture into the lined slow cooker pot. Put on the lid and put a tea towel under the lid to catch drips and stop condensation dripping onto the top of the cake.
- Cooking time: 2 hours on high approximately. Look out for the edges burning and cook until the cake is no longer wet on top. Check regularly and use a skewer or knife to test the cake to see if it is cooked through.
- Remove from the slow cooker using the edges of the baking paper and allow to cool. Slice and serve.
Variations
If you have stem ginger, you can use the same quantity of stem ginger in place of the crystallised ginger in the recipe. Chop it finely and toss it in a tiny pinch of flour to coat before adding.
Black treacle can be used in place of the golden syrup. Black treacle introduces a deep mahogany colour, slight bitterness, and distinct liquorice-like undertone.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy your sticky ginger cake for an afternoon treat plain or slightly warmed with a coffee, tea or hot chocolate.
Or serve warm with hot custard, ice cream or cream as a comforting dessert.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container or a cake tin for up to 5 days. For the absolute best results, wrap the loaf tightly in greaseproof paper or foil before placing it in the tin. This traps the moisture and allows the golden syrup and dark muscovado sugar to settle, making the cake even stickier and more flavourful by day two or three!
- Freezing: This cake freezes beautifully. Wrap the completely cooled cake (either whole or sliced into individual portions) tightly in a double layer of cling film or foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It will keep perfectly for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting: Thaw the cake at room temperature while still wrapped to keep the moisture locked inside the sponge.
More to try
You might also like:
- slow cooker gingerbread steamed pudding
- slow cooker steamed cranberry sponge pudding
- slow cooker tea loaf cake with cranberry and ginger
- slow cooker Christmas cake
For loads more slow cooker cakes check out all my slow cooker desserts, my Recipe Index and my guide to baking in a slow cooker.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Sticky Ginger Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) unsalted butter softened
- 135 g (½ cup + 3 tbsp) golden caster sugar
- 65 g (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) dark muscovado sugar
- 200 g (1¼ cups) self-raising flour
- 4 medium free-range eggs
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 20 g (2 tbsp) crystallised fiery ginger chopped
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
Equipment
Instructions
- Line your slow cooker pot with baking paper. I use a round 3.5 litre slow cooker.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.200 g / ¾ cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 135 g / ½ cup + 3 tbsp golden caster sugar, 65 g / ¼ cup + 1 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
- Add the eggs one by one and mix in well.4 medium free-range eggs
- Fold in the flour, ginger, allspice and chopped crystallised ginger until well combined.200 g / 1¼ cups self-raising flour, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground allspice, 20 g / 2 tbsp crystallised fiery ginger
- Add the golden syrup and mix through.1 tbsp golden syrup
- Pour the mixture into the lined slow cooker pot. Put on the lid and put a tea towel under the lid to catch drips and stop condensation dripping onto the top of the cake.
- Cooking time: 2 hours on high approximately.Look out for the edges burning and cook until the cake is no longer wet on top. Check regularly and use a skewer or knife to test the cake to see if it is cooked through.
- Remove from the slow cooker using the edges of the baking paper and allow to cool. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Room Temperature: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container or a cake tin for up to 5 days. For the absolute best results, wrap the loaf tightly in greaseproof paper or foil before placing it in the tin. This traps the moisture and allows the golden syrup and dark muscovado sugar to settle, making the cake even stickier and more flavourful by day two or three!
- Freezing: This cake freezes beautifully. Wrap the completely cooled cake (either whole or sliced into individual portions) tightly in a double layer of cling film or foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag. It will keep perfectly for up to 3 months.
- Defrosting: Thaw the cake at room temperature while still wrapped to keep the moisture locked inside the sponge.
Copperhead says
Absolutely rich and scrummy- thanks Lucy xxx
Claire says
I’d have never thought of using my slow cooker to make a cake!!
What a great idea.
And this looks perfect all sticky and dense, just how I like cake 😀
bakingqueen74 says
Can’t really go wrong with cake can you 😉
Milisa says
This is perfect for the weekend! I love easy desserts like this!
bakingqueen74 says
Yes a great bake for the weekend!
Alma Vorrei says
Hello Lucy, I love this recipe so great for well every thing!! my mom is gluten free could you make a gluten free brownie recipe? thanks for all the wonderful recipes.