This wonderful cake, simply strewn with ginger is both sumptuous and earthy, its flavours mingling enticingly.
This cake, which is a breeze to make, does not need icing but if you wish to gild the lily, a lemon icing would be suitable such as this totally divine lemon frosting. Its creaminess suits the cake perfectly.
Makes 1 cake, 12-16 slices
200g plain flour
¾ tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
70g crystallised ginger, finely chopped
90g butter, cut into small cubes
120g dark cane sugar
¼ cup of golden syrup
¼cup of treacle
2 large eggs
½ cup of Greek yoghurt
1 tsp of vanilla extract
Lemon frosting
Have all the ingredients at room temperature
250g icing sugar
¼ Cup of low-fat cream cheese (spreadable variety)
2 tsp lemon juice
70gm of crystallised ginger, finely chopped to sprinkle on top
Method
Preheat the oven to 160degC.
Lightly spray the sides of a 20cm round ring tin and line the base with baking paper.
Place butter, dark cane sugar, golden syrup, and treacle in a heat-proof microwave bowl, cover and microwave on low power until the butter has melted.
Remove cover and set aside to cool.
Beat together the eggs, Greek yoghurt and vanilla extract and beat into the butter and sugar mixture.
Sift the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon and allspice together, then stir in the chopped crystallised ginger.
Make a well in the centre, pour in the syrup-treacle mixture and stir until all the flour has been combined. It should have a soft dropping consistency.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes then turn out on to a wire rack.
To make the frosting, sift the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add cream cheese and lemon juice. Mix or beat until smooth, adding a drop or two of extra juice if needed. Spread the icing over the completely cool cake and sprinkle crystallised ginger.
