You only need a few everyday baking ingredients for this syrup cake – take the taste to another level with Angostura Orange Bitters and finely grated orange zest.

You will also love my Retro School Dinner Cake

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In collaboration with ANGOSTURA® Aromatic Bitters

It’s rare to find an everyday cake recipe that can easily pass for an indulgent dessert… but this easy Golden Syrup Cake is THAT recipe.

Bake it as a loaf cake and it’s perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, sweet enough (and delicious enough) without any frosting or icing.

Bake it as a traybake, cut into squares and serve warm with custard or vanilla ice cream and you have a wonderful dessert that will have everyone ask for seconds.

It is reminiscent of sticky toffee pudding so I sometimes call it my golden sticky pudding cake!

Golden syrup cake topped with whipped cream on a floral plate

This is the perfect cake for novice bakers as it comes together in literally five minutes without the need of a mixer. You will be amazed that such a simple cake tastes quite so delicious!

Take a look at the recipe video to see how its done – and be sure to check out the YouTube video where I demonstrate the recipe in more detail.

Golden syrup cake slices stacked on a ceramic board

Cooking with Angostura

As a cocktail lover, I always have bottles of Angostura and Angostura Orange Bitters in my drinks cabinet!

But there’s no need to limit them to cocktails – you can add bitters in marinades or your bakes to enhance the flavour. A teaspoon of orange bitters brings extra complexity and dimension to this sticky cake.

Golden Syrup Cake Ingredients

Here’s what you will need to make this recipe – take a look at my suggestions for alternatives. You will also need a 2lb loaf tin or a 8in cake tin.

Unsalted butter – margarine can also be used
Sugar – I used white caster sugar but you can use light soft brown sugar (muscovado sugar) for a more complex taste
Golden syrup – this unique ingredient lends a wonderful taste to cookies and cakes. It is very easy to find in the UK and becoming more popular worldwide. Light corn syrup is the closest substitute I can think of but although close in consistency it won’t have the toasted caramel flavour that makes golden syrup so delicious.
Milk, orange juice and one large egg
Orange zest and Angostura orange bitters add a wonderful scent to this cake. Strips of orange zest can also be used as decoration.
Self raising flour – or see my notes if you only have plain flour. Make sure the flour is within “use by” date!

NEED TO KNOW No self raising flour? Make your own! Use 2 cups (240g) plain flour plus 4 teaspoons of baking powder. Make sure your baking powder is in date!

How to Make Golden Syrup Cake

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

Preheat the oven to 160C (325F). Mist your cake tin with cake release spray or grease with butter and line with greaseproof paper or use cake liners.

Add the milk, Angostura Orange Bitters, orange juice and egg in a mixing jug, stirring to combine.

Put the butter, syrup and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the orange zest then microwave for 30 seconds, stir and microwave again until the butter starts to melt. No microwave? Simply melt in a pot, stirring, over low heat.

butter, golden syrup, sugar and orange zest in a large mixing bowl

Stir until the mixture is smooth then set aside to cool down slightly. If it is too hot it will cause the egg to scramble!

Gradually add the milk mixture into the bowl, stirring as you go, until combined.

combining ingredients for golden syrup cake in a mixing bowl

Sift the flour over the bowl and stir together to create a smooth, slightly thin, batter. Make sure there are no hidden lumps of flour.

Pour the batter into a greased and lined 2lb loaf tin or into an 8 inch square (or round) cake tin. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until the cake is golden and firm to the touch. Tent the cake with aluminium foil if it is colouring too much after 40 minutes.

Brush your cake with a little extra golden syrup – though this is optional, the cake is plenty sweet on its own. Decorate with orange zest strips or leave plain.

How to Serve Syrup Cake

Serve cold or warm for a few seconds in a microwave and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or custard. An extra drizzle of golden syrup is highly recommended!

Storing and Freezing

This cake keeps incredibly well, in fact it becomes more delicious if you keep it for a couple of days wrapped in foil. It will stay moist for at least four days in an airtight container (barely lasts a day in our house).

You can also freeze the cake, in slices. Wrap well in clingfilm and then foil and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge and warm up slightly before serving.

Other Uses for Golden Syrup

Have you made my Golden Syrup Cake recipe? I would LOVE to see it! Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #Nusde and make my day!

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