Deep, Dark & Delicious Gingerbread

• 250g butter (1 cup +1 1/2 TBS)
• 250g soft dark brown sugar (1 1/4 cup, packed)
• 250g molasses or dark treacle (9 fluid ounces)
• 300ml whole milk (1 1/4 cups)
• 2 large free range eggs
• 5 knobs of preserved ginger in syrup, chopped finely
• 375g plain flour (2 1/2 cups + 3 TBS)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1. Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9-inch square baking tin and line it with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Put the butter, sugar, and molasses into a saucepan. Cook over low heat to melt the butter and sugar. Whisk in the milk. Set aside to cool some.
3. Whisk together the flour, soda, ginger, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl. Stir in the chopped glace ginger. Make a well in the centre.
4. Beat the eggs into the liquid ingredients thoroughly. Pour into the well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon, stir together, gradually drawing in the dry ingredients from the side of the bowl until you have a smooth and thick batter. Pour into the prepared baking tin.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, until well risen and firm to the touch. Do NOT be tempted to open the door prior to that time or the cake may sink in the middle. Once an hour has passed, check the cake. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. If it doesn’t cook for a further 10 minutes and try again. The cake is done when the skewer comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool completely in the tin. Once cold remove from the tin and either wrap tightly and store in an airtight container for up to a week.
7. Optional Icing – Whisk together 65g of sifted icing sugar (1/2 cup) and enough ginger syrup to give you a smooth drizzle icing. Drizzle decoratively over the cold cake.

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