CAKE MIXTURE IN A JAR RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins.
• For the cake, place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
• Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
• Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 25–35 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
• For the chocolate icing, heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan over a low heat until the chocolate melts. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk the mixture until smooth, glossy and thickened. Set aside to cool for 1–2 hours, or until thick enough to spread over the cake.
• To assemble the cake, run a round-bladed knife around the inside of the cake tins to loosen the cakes. Carefully remove the cakes from the tins.
• Spread a little chocolate icing over the top of one of the chocolate cakes, then carefully top with the other cake.
• Transfer the cake to a serving plate and ice the cake all over with the chocolate icing, using a palette knife.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking parchment.

  In a food processor, whizz together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Set aside.

  Put the golden syrup, black treacle, light brown sugar and diced stem ginger in a pan. Heat gently until all the sugar has dissolved, then cook for another minute over a high heat and remove.

  Beat the eggs and milk into the syrup mixture, then mix into the flour and butter mixture. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 45 minutes.

  Meanwhile, stir the ginger syrup and 2 tablespoons boiling water into the icing sugar until smooth. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then pierce all over with a skewer. Pour over the icing sugar mixture and leave to set before serving.

   

  Cook's tip: if you have leftover slices that are going slightly stale, use them in a gingery version of a bread and butter pudding. Just switch white bread slices with the ginger loaf slices and sprinkle chopped crystallised ginger over them instead of sultanas.