⏳ Yield & Time

Yield: 12 servings

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

🍽 Ingredients

• 2 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking soda
• 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup Unsalted butter
• 1 cup Packed light brown sugar
• 2 Large eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Buttermilk
• 1/4 cup Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Lemon zest
• 1 cup Finely chopped candied ginger

📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour your 9x13 inch baking pan. This prevents sticking and ensures even baking.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Make sure there are no lumps!
3. In a separate bowl, cream together 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, softened, and 1 cup packed light brown sugar using an electric mixer or a strong wooden spoon. You want it light and fluffy, folks!
4. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Don't overmix this step!
5. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1/2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice), and 1/4 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Then, zest the lemon; you'll need about 1 tbsp of zest (or more, if you're a lemon fanatic like me!).
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix—a few lumps are okay!
7. Stir in 1 cup of finely chopped candied ginger. If your candied ginger is in large pieces, chop them up really small; no one wants a huge bite of ginger.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. It will seem pretty full!
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Don't open the oven too frequently!
10. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting. Seriously, this part is important, or the frosting melts!

📝 Notes

• Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature for the creaming stage.
• If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to 1/2 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.
• Adjust the amount of lemon zest and juice to your liking. Some folks like it real lemony!