Dairy Free Ginger Cake

By: Melissa Lee, BSc. ND 2012

Even though the holidays are over, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this warming Ginger Cake!

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup safflower oil

1/2 cup fine ground natural cane sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup unsulphured molasses

Zest of 1 lemon

1 cup soy milk

Love

Icing sugar

Method

1. Place the rack in the centre of the oven and then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a cake pan with safflower oil (8X11 inch square pan)
3. In one bowl mix the dry ingredients together: whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another bowl beat the oil and sugar until it is mixed well together (about 4 minutes).
   1. Add one egg at a time.
   2. Add the molasses and lemon zest
   3. Add the milk and mix
   4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until all is combine
   5. Add your love
   6. Pour the batter in the cake pan
   7. Bake for 30-40 minutes.  Check at 30 minute mark with inserting a toothpick in the centre of the pan
   8. Let the cake cool
   9. Sprinkle icing sugar on the top and serve

“Let Thy Food be Thy Medicine”

-          Hippocrates

The Benefits of Ginger

Ginger, also known as Zingiber officinale Roscoe has been cultivated in India, Japan and China since the 1500s.  It is used as a seasoning or fragrance in foods, beverages, body products and cosmetics.

Ginger contains several macronutrients such as proteins, fats, fiber, carbohydrates, minerals and phytochemicals.  In particular the active compounds that give ginger its spice and health benefits are known as gingerols, shogaols, paradols, and volatile oils.  These compounds have been shown to help with nausea, motion sickness, and dizziness.  Furthermore, these compounds have been studied for its ability to improve heart health, regulate blood sugar levels, act as a digestive aid, and act as an antioxidant.   So as the benefits may not be so obvious in a ginger cake, try this cake with a fresh ginger tea!

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Melissa Lee is currently a 4^th year intern at the Robert Schad Naturopathic Clinic (which is based out of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine).

References

Ali, BH., Blunden, G., Tanira, MO., Nemmar, A.  Some phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicological properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe): A review of recent research.  Food and Chemical Toxicology (2008); 46: 409-420.

Butt, MS., Sultan, MT.  Ginger and its health claims: molecular aspects.  Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (2011); 51: 383- 393.

Natural Standard, Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe). (2011).

Posted in Seasonal Recipe |

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