• Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C - I set my fan oven at 155°C).
• Grease or line two 2 pound loaf pans.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking powder and salt.
• Gently stir the chopped crystallised ginger through the flour mixture so it doesn’t stick together.
• Set aside.
• Put the sugar, butter, ginger root, vanilla and eggs in the large bowl of an electric mixer bend together on low speed.
• Then turn the mixer to high and beat together for about 3 to 4 minutes, stopping the mixer and scraping the bowl occasionally..
• Using a low speed, beat the flour mixture into the sugar mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
• Pour into the prepared pans.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
• Cool for 20 minutes, before removing from the pans and allowing to cool completely on a rack. Serve plain or sprinkled with icing sugar, or drizzled with glaze (see directions for vanilla or ginger glaze below).

To make the vanilla glaze:

• Blend the butter and the icing sugar together in an electric mixer.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• Gradually add the hot water, a bit at time, until a syrupy consistency is reached.
• Drizzle over the cakes.
• Allow the glaze to set before slicing the cakes.

To make the ginger glaze:

• Whisk the icing sugar and the ground ginger together with a fork.
• Gradually add the water, whisking well after each addition, until a smooth, drizzle-able consistency is reached.
• Drizzle over the cakes. Allow the glaze to set before slicing the cakes.