Polish gingerbread cake
45 days 1 hour 50 min
This is a traditional Polish gingerbread cake that needs to be prepared 5 to 6 weeks before Christmas. While the dough is resting the flavours mature into the best gingerbread you've ever tasted!
7 people made this
Ingredients
Makes: 2 gingerbread cakes
- Gingerbread
- 500g honey
- 500g caster sugar
- 250g butter
- 1kg plain flour
- 3 eggs
- 3 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
- 125ml milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 60g mixed spice
- Filling
- 1 jar plum jam
- 200g walnuts, chopped
- 150g dried figs, chopped
- 1 jar cherry jam
- Chocolate ganache
- 15g butter
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons hot water
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Icing
- 250g icing sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons hot water
Method
Prep:1hr ›
Cook:50min ›
Extra time:45days resting ›
Ready in:45days2hr50min
- Heat up honey, sugar and butter over low heat until almost boiling. Stir well and set aside to cool.
- When completely cool, add flour and eggs. Dissolve the bicarb in the milk and add to the mixture. Finally, stir in the salt and mixed spices.
- Knead the dough well and place in a stoneware or enamel pot. Cover with a clean cloth and leave in a cool place for 5 to 6 weeks. (Tip: the dough is quite loose, but after resting in cool temperature it becomes stiffer and is easy to roll out.)
- Plan to bake the cake 3 to 4 days before serving at Christmas. Preheat oven to 170 C / Gas 3.
- The top of the dough may be a bit tough, but that's the way it should be. Cut the dough in half with a knife. Roll out one part on a lightly floured surface to about 1cm thick. Place in a large rectangular baking tray.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Repeat with the second half. Set both cakes aside to cool completely.
- In a small saucepan, over low heat, warm up plum jam and mix it with chopped figs and nuts.
- Once the cakes are cooled, cut them in half horizontally. Make two cakes, each with two layers. For the first cake: Cover first layer with plum jam mixture and top with a second layer. For the second cake: top the first layer with cherry jam and cover with the second layer.
- Now place a large book or a wooden plank on each of the cakes and set them aside for 3 to 4 days. The cakes will become moist and soft.
- Dissolve butter in a small saucepan, add sugar, water, milk and cocoa. Mix well and let cool a bit.
- Pour the ganache over the gingerbread cake with the plum jam filling.
- Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add hot water and mix vigorously until a desired consistency is achieved. If too watery, add more icing sugar.
- Pour the icing over the gingerbread cake with the cherry jam filling.
Preparing the dough:
Baking:
Chocolate ganache:
Icing:
Tip
This gingerbread cake stays fresh for a very long time. Just wrap it in paper or a clean cloth so it doesn't dry out.
