Jamaican Ginger Cake

Serves 6

Jamaican ginger cake is a dark, moist, rich, gingery cake. Ginger is a wonderful ingredient to cook with; it has so much flavour and adds a slight spicy kick to any dish. Ginger cake is very morish it is sticky, heavy, slightly chewy and perfect served in so many different ways.

Jamaican ginger cake is normally made in a loaf tin, so perfect to cut into slices and serve as a naughty lunch time treat, smothered in butter or plain and by itself. Whether you need a sweet treat to accompany afternoon tea or a quick snack ready for when your children come in from school, Jamaican ginger cake will go down very well and you can make it the day before as it will keep for a few days.

Ginger cake also makes a great pudding, served hot with thick custard or a drizzle of cream. Ideal for a cosy, comforting, pudding to curl up with on a cold winter’s day, but still delicious all year round. It is great, easy picnic food; wonderful in summer served with a few scoops of homemade ice cream.

Ingredients

• 150g butter
• 150g golden syrup
• 150g black treacle
• 300g self raising flour
• 4 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 100ml evaporated milk

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 150C. Grease and line a 1kg loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter with the golden syrup and treacle in a pan.
3. Mix the self raising flour, ginger, mixed spice, and bicarbonate soda. Add the melted syrup mix and whisk in the eggs and milk, until smooth.
4. Pour into the prepared loaf tin, bake for 50 minutes then cover with baking paper and bake for another 25 minutes. To tell if it is cooked insert a knife in the centre, if it comes out clean the cake is ready.