Luscious ginger layer cake

Ginger-perfumed sponge is layered with chocolate ganache and honeycomb, and topped with crumbled meringue.

Luscious ginger layer cake Credit: Lyndey Milan's Baking Secrets

• makes

  1

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1 tbsp treacle
• 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
• ½ cup (75g) cornflour
• 1 tbsp cocoa
• 1 tbsp ground ginger

Spiced meringue

• 1 egg white
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp nutmeg

Honeycomb cream

• 250 g cream cheese
• 2 tbsp honey
• ½ tsp sea salt flakes
• 300 ml cream, whipped to soft peaks
• 2 bars (100g) chocolate honeycomb, finely chopped

Chocolate olive oil ganache

• 100 g dark chocolate
• 100 ml cream
• 50 ml olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160⁰C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
 
2. For spiced meringue, whip egg white to soft peaks. Gradually add caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the sugar dissolves. Add spices and whip for another few seconds until combined. Spread onto prepared tray to approximately 1cm thick and bake for 45 minutes or until crisp and dry. Cool on a wire rack.
 
3. Increase oven temperature to 180⁰C and line the base and sides of three 19cm cake tins with baking paper.
 
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar and treacle for 5 minutes or until very light and fluffy. Sift self-raising flour, cornflour, cocoa and ginger over egg mixture and gently fold in. Divide mixture evenly between the three prepared cake tins and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Cool cakes on a wire rack.
 
5. For honeycomb cream, beat cream cheese, honey and salt until light and fluffy. Fold in cream and chopped chocolate honeycomb bars.
 
6. For chocolate olive oil ganache, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook, over low heat, for 3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until smooth and glossy. Pour into a jug and set aside to cool and thicken slightly.
 
7. To serve, place one of the cake layers on a serving plate, top with half honeycomb filling, another cake, remaining honeycomb filling and finally remaining cake. Pour over chocolate olive oil ganache, allowing it to drip decoratively down the sides of the cake. Crumble spiced meringue and sprinkle generously over the cake.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.