Tie a piece of twine with evergreens and orange peel around these Yule ginger & orange zest vanilla spice cakes. Put ’em in a basket.
And spread the love.
This rustic Winter Solstice treat makes the perfect baked gift for friends and neighbors.
Beautiful and tasty, with soul-warming ingredients like ginger, orange zest and vanilla, make enough to keep one for yourself!
(Shout out to Two Cups of Flour for inspiring my version of Yule ginger & orange zest vanilla spice cakes!)
Contents
Magical Correspondences and Meaning of the Ingredients
All the ingredients in recipe symbolize the winter holiday season, especially the Winter Solstice/Yule.
Even the garnishes vibrate with meaning and intention. For example, garnishing with evergreens represents hope in the darkness of winter, enduring friendship and peace in the home. Any edible evergreen will do! Try:
-Rosemary
-Thyme
-Sage
-Pine Needles
(Do not use holly bush. It’s pretty, but super toxic!)
Ginger, oranges, cinnamon and nutmeg are all classic fall/autumn baking ingredients. Make anything with them, and your whole home will smell festive!
For detailed descriptions of the key ingredients in this magical recipe, check out:
–Oranges (Magical Correspondences)
–Ginger (Magical Correspondences)
–Cinnamon (Magical Correspondences)
Tips & Hacks
-You can sub 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice for the ground cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
-If you want to make cupcakes, shorten the baking time to 15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
-Swap out brown sugar for maple syrup for richer, sweeter cakes.
-Busy holiday season? Make these up to 2 months ahead, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze them. Thaw at room temperature.
Optional Decorating Ideas
To get this rustic look, I started with strip of parchment paper wrapped around the center of the cakes and secured it with a piece of tape on the back.
Then, I tied 2 sprigs of rosemary and 2 strips of orange peel to each cake with a piece of twine. So lovely!
You can also deliver these in a rustic basket (get a cheap one from a thrift store or the Dollar Tree).
Alternatively, wrap them in plastic, and bring them in a large, decorated box with a pull-off lid.
Ingredients
-2 Cups All Purpose Flour
-1/4 cup Brown Sugar
-2 tsp Baking Powder
-1 tsp Baking Soda
-3/4 tbsp Ground Ginger
-2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
-1 tsp Ground Nutmeg
-2 Tbsp Orange Zest
-1 Stick Melted Butter
-3/4 Cup Honey
-3 tbsp Orange Juice (fresh squeezed is best!)
-1 tsp Vanilla Extract
-1/2 Cup Whole Milk
-2 Eggs
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
Sprinkle in orange zest.
Step 2
Add in melted butter, honey, orange juice, vanilla extract and milk. Add both eggs. Beat until smooth and creamy.
Pour into three well-greased 5″ x 3″ ceramic baking dishes.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.
Step 3
Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Carefully turn each ceramic dish upside down and gently wiggle cakes out. If they stick, slide a flat, thin knife around the edges of the baking dish until they loosened, then try again.
I absolutely love your recipes and articles on this page. The Imbolc Pasta (I believe it is) is my main go to dish during the whole winter season. Super quick to make and filling. Thank you for sharing these and all the other things on your site!