Ingredients
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g rye flour
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- 180 ml Québec maple syrup
- 120 ml buttermilk
- 90 g melted unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
Method
- Whisk both flours, spices, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk the eggs, maple syrup, buttermilk, melted butter, and fresh ginger; fold into the dry mixture.
- Pour into a greased 23 × 13 cm loaf pan and rest for 10 minutes.
- Bake at 165 °C for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 150 g honey or granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 150 g honey or sugar with 180 ml maple syrup; reduce the traditional buttermilk by about 40 ml because maple syrup is thinner than honey; bake at 165 °C instead of 180 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple naturally belongs with ginger, rye, and warm spices, producing a moist loaf with a rounded finish. It offers a Québec interpretation that remains close to the European spiced-cake method.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →