GINGER CAKE RECIPES RECIPES

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.

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Grease a springform cake tin (roughly 20cm) with butter, line the base with greaseproof paper, then dust the sides with gluten-free flour.
2. Lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl, add the sugar and oil, then mix to combine. Sieve in the flour and spices, then fold through. Peel and grate the apple (core and all) and carrots, then stir into the mixture along with the orange zest and juice and sultanas. Roughly chop and add the walnuts, if using.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin, then place on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for around 5 minutes, before turning it out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter, icing sugar and most of the orange zest until pale and smooth, then stir in the cream cheese until just combined.
5. Once cooled, decorate the cake with the icing. Lightly crush the walnuts in a pestle and mortar and sprinkle on top. Finish with a grating of orange zest, then serve.