This loaf comes together with a single bowl and a wooden spoon. No mixer, no creaming, no waiting for butter to soften.
The spice comes from two sources – ground ginger in the batter and chopped stem ginger folded in before baking. That combination gives the loaf a clean, warm heat that builds gently, rather than hitting all at once.
Walnuts add texture and a mild bitterness that balances the sweetness. Toast them first. It takes five minutes and makes a noticeable difference.
The loaf stays moist for up to four days wrapped at room temperature, which makes it a good option for baking ahead of guests or packing into a lunchbox through the week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One bowl, no mixer, minimal washing up.
- Stays moist and sliceable for up to four days.
- Two types of ginger give depth without sharpness.
- Toasted walnuts add crunch and balance the sweetness.
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour (white): White spelt flour gives a lighter crumb than wholegrain. You can swap in wholegrain spelt for a denser, slightly earthier loaf – reduce liquid by 10 ml if you do.
- Ground ginger: Use a fresh jar – ground ginger loses potency quickly once opened. Older spice will give a flat, muted result.
- Stem ginger in syrup: Found in jars near the baking aisle. The syrup itself can be drizzled over the warm loaf as a simple glaze. Don’t skip it – it adds a soft, moist pocket of heat that ground ginger alone can’t replicate.
- Walnuts: Toast in a dry pan for 4-5 minutes until golden and fragrant before chopping. Pecans work as a substitute if walnuts aren’t available.
- Treacle (or molasses): A tablespoon of treacle deepens the colour and adds a faint bitterness. If you prefer a lighter loaf, use honey or maple syrup in the same quantity.
- Neutral oil: Sunflower or light olive oil keeps the crumb soft and makes this loaf dairy-free as written. Melted butter works too and adds a richer flavour.
Ginger and Walnut Loaf
Description
Ground and stem ginger work together here to keep each slice deeply flavoured without being sharp. Toasted walnuts add a firm, slightly bitter contrast that stops the loaf from feeling too sweet.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
Wet ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170 C / 340 F (fan 150 C). Grease a 900 g loaf tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a board and chop roughly. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk the eggs, oil, milk, and treacle together in a large bowl until smooth and evenly combined.
- Add the chopped stem ginger to the wet mixture and stir through.
- Sift the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt into the bowl. Add the brown sugar.
- Fold everything together with a wooden spoon until just combined - stop as soon as no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the toasted walnuts with two or three gentle strokes.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin and smooth the top lightly with a spoon.
- Bake for 48-52 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly after 30 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
- As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven, brush the reserved stem ginger syrup over the top. It will sink in slightly and create a glossy, sticky surface.
- Leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out using the paper overhang and transfer to a wire rack. Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 265kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 14g22%
- Saturated Fat 2g10%
- Cholesterol 40mg14%
- Sodium 180mg8%
- Potassium 160mg5%
- Total Carbohydrate 31g11%
- Dietary Fiber 3g12%
- Sugars 14g
- Protein 6g12%
- Vitamin A 80 IU
- Calcium 60 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 10 IU
- Vitamin E 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K 2 mcg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.1 mg
- Niacin 1.5 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
- Folate 20 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
- Phosphorus 140 mg
- Magnesium 30 mg
- Zinc 0.8 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Toast walnuts before folding in - raw nuts stay pale and taste bitter rather than rounded.
- Rest baked loaf on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing to set the crumb.
- Drizzle reserved stem ginger syrup over the warm loaf for a glossy, sticky top.
- Measure treacle with a wet spoon - it slides off cleanly without sticking.
- Wholegrain spelt can replace white spelt flour, but reduce the milk by 10 ml to compensate.
