Full question
Definitely trying the Ginger and Walnut Carrot Cake! Is there anything I could substitute the crystallised ginger with?
Our answer
Nigella's Ginger And Walnut Carrot Cake (from Nigella's new book AT MY TABLE) has nuggets of chopped crystallised ginger embedded into the cake and sprinkled over the cream cheese frosting. They bring a spicy, zingy element to the cake. Crystallised ginger can be bought in many supermarkets and on-line and is sometimes labelled as candied ginger or glace ginger. If you can buy preserved ginger (which is sold in a jar in syrup) then this could be used as an alternative. Use exactly the same quantities of drained preserved ginger and before using blot each piece of ginger with kitchen paper to remove as much syrup as possible.
If you don't like ginger, or can't find the preserved ginger either, then it is possible to make the cake without the crystallised ginger, though then it becomes a plainer but still delicious Walnut And Carrot Cake. If you can buy candied or crystallised pineapple then we suspect that this would be an interesting alternative, used in the same quantities, to make a tropical version of the cake.
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What 1 Other has said
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Posted by Beardedfoodie on 4th April 2018
Show more commentsThe ginger is a sine qua non for this cake. It adds a dimension that other carrot cakes simply totally lack. Make your own crystallised ginger by boiling the required quantity in a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar) for ten or fifteen minutes, then draining them before use. Use the left over syrup in any other baking or confectionery that needs a lift.