INGREDIENTS:
- Deep and round, 18cm (7inch), loose-bottomed, heavy gauge cake tin
- 3-4 pieces stem ginger in syrup
- 2⁄3 cup crystallized ginger
- 4 1⁄2 ounces (1 stick+ 1 tbsp.) butter
- 1⁄2 cup golden syrup
- 3 tbsp. ginger syrup, from the jar of stem ginger
- 2⁄3 cuplight muscovado sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1 tsp. ground mixed spice
- A pinch of paprika
- A pinch of sea salt
Glazing:
- 3 tbsp. golden syrup
- 2 pieces of stem ginger cut into paper-thin slices
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheit.
- Line the base and sides of the cake tin.
- Place the stem ginger and crystallized ginger into a food processor and process to a “paste” or grate all the ginger finely.
- Place the butter, golden syrup, ginger syrup, sugar and ginger paste in a heavy-based saucepan. Warm gently to melt the butter. Stir continuously and do not let it boil. Leave to cool a little.
- Beat the eggs and milk together and then, add them to the warm mixture.
- Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices and salt. Mix into the liquid and stir well to ensure that there are absolutely no lumps. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The top will become a lovely dark, rich colour. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake, it will come out completely clean when the cake is cooked.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, glaze it with the golden syrup and place the fine slivers of stem ginger all over the top of the cake.
- Leave to cool before removing from the tin.
- When completely cold, store it in an airtight container and leave to mature for several days before eating.
* Keeps for up to two weeks.
