Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients:

125g/4oz self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
3 tsp ground ginger
125g/4oz wholemeal flour
40g/1 & 1/2 oz demerara sugar (brown sugar)
125g/4oz butter
4tbps each of golden syrup and black treacle
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml/4fl oz warm milk
1 egg, beaten

(the syrup and treacle are easier to get out of the tins if placed without lids in a saucepan of hot water for 5 - 10 minutes)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4

2. Line the baking tin with greaseproof paper

3. Sift the self-raising flour, mixed spice and ginger into a large mixing bowl

4. Mix in the wholemeal flour and the demerara sugar

5. Put the butter, syrup and treacle in a saucepan and heat gently until melted

6. Add the above mixture to the dry ingredients and mix everything together

7. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the warm milk and add the beaten egg

8. Pour into the flour mixture and beat to form a smooth batter

9. Pour the batter mixture into the tin and smooth the top

10. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40 - 45 minutes until well-risen

11. Place a knife in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean it is cooked

12. Cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack

13. Remove the paper, cut into bars and eat