Piernik (Polish gingerbread) Recipe (Ready in 120 Min)

If you've got ground clove, plum jam and double cream, you're most of the way to this Polish dessert: about 120 minutes of cooking across 17 steps. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 17 steps.

You'll mainly reach for oven and saucepan. At involved difficulty across 17 steps, it's worth setting aside proper time for. As written, it's meat-free.

How to make it

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
Grease and line the base and sides of a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
Put the honey, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and cook over a medium heat until fully melted.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Put the flour and spices in a large bowl and mix everything together.
Once the liquid ingredients have cooled, whisk in the eggs.
Pour over the dry ingredients, whisking them together to form a smooth batter – be careful not to overmix as this can lead to a dry cake.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 mins or until risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, use a large serrated knife to slice the cake into 3 layers.
Spread the jam across the 2 bottom cake layers, then reassemble the cake and set aside while you make the glaze.
Put the cream, chocolate and honey in a medium pan and cook over a low-medium heat until the chocolate is melted and you have a smooth, pourable mixture.
Put the cake on a wire rack set over a parchment-lined baking tray and pour over the glaze, making sure to cover the entire cake.
Use a fish slice to carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate and allow the glaze to set.
To decorate, dust with a little edible gold powder, if you like.
Uniced, this cake will keep for up to 5 days.
Once iced, enjoy within 3 days – just keep in the fridge, but remove before serving and eat at room temperature.

You'll use: Oven · Saucepan · Pan · Whisk · Baking tray

Tips & common questions

How long does Piernik (Polish gingerbread) take to make?

About 120 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 17 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.

What can I use instead of butter?

Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.

Can I scale this recipe up or down?

Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.

Is Piernik (Polish gingerbread) vegetarian?

Its ingredients contain no meat or fish, so it's suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheeses for animal rennet if that matters to you.