It plays the central role in both forms of gingerbread: the hard, decorative biscuits and the moist spice cake, like Grandaisy Bakery pastry chef Peggy Jacobs’s fragrant rye-flour version.

This ginger loaf cake is beautifully moist and rich thanks to the stout, molasses and brown sugar. Using a combination of ground and fresh ginger gives it a lovely kick of spice. Preheat the oven ...

Cut the cake into twelve equal squares, pull them slightly away from each other, then spoon the melted chocolate over the individual cakes, letting it trickle down the sides. Cut the ginger into ...