Afternoon Tea with Gingery Ginger Cake

On a visit to London I had a steady buzz from the gallons of tea we drank. My hosts woke up and said, “I’ll put the tea on”. We got dressed and someone said, “Let’s have a cup of tea before we pop out”. We visited neighbours and relations who lowered trays of tea and biscuits and said, “Cup of tea, dear? Then we headed home … for tea. Every meal was punctuated with tea. And who can sleep without a cup of tea?!

It was relentless but I did become fond of tea and cake around 3pm. Story has it that Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, founded the custom of afternoon tea. In the 1800’s only a light luncheon was served between breakfast and a very late dinner. Without a bite all afternoon Lady Bedford got a “sinking” feeling around 4pm (Amen, sister!). This trailblazer took tea and small sandwiches or cakes in her rooms and invited friends. The British practice of afternoon tea or ‘low tea’ was born. ‘High tea’ is actually an evening meal associated with the working classes, eaten between 5pm and 7pm. So when I eat macaroni and cheese with my kids at 5:30pm we’re having high tea. It sounds more civilized than it looks.

An un-iced bundt cake is the perfect accompaniment to a pot of tea and an afternoon lull. This Chocolate Zuchinni Cake is a gem as is this Gingery Ginger Cake. That’s right, it requires ginger twice in the title because of the deep flavour. Hot tea and a spiced cake is like a warm hug in a winter that refuses to end.

Gingery Ginger Cake
Source: Canadian Living

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup each vegetable oil and fancy molasses
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp minced gingerroot
1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 tbsp incing sugar

Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt pan: set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, ground ginger, and salt. In large bowl whisk together sugar, oil, molasses, eggs, water, and gingerroot. Stir in flour mixture a third at a time. Stir in crystallized ginger. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in centre of 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes. Remove from pan: let cool completely on rack. Dust with icing sugar.