Ginger Cake That Hits The Spot

Hi my lovelies!

Pre-retirement I imagined my new at-home life would include creative days in the kitchen.  Blissfully enjoyable baking days when I would don an apron maybe once or twice a week to create cakes, cookies and bread in the kitchen.  All the things I had little time for making whilst working. 

That dream was soon shattered when I discovered that The Photographer didn’t actually om like cake that much.  He liked fruit cake though.  I do not like fruitcake.

Although this may not seem like a match made in heaven, on reflection I could have become a dab hand at making fruit cakes and not put on a single pound, but where’s the fun in that?

So, I largely gave up baking cake.

But this week I thought heck, I’ll give it another go and if it doesn’t hit the spot with him, I can always farm it out to more appreciate households. 

Well, I chanced upon this ginger cake recipe in my Linda McCartney cookbook and Bingo!!

Turns out I’d been baking the wrong cakes!

TP DOES like more than just fruit cake, and ginger cake is one that’s hitting the spot.

So much so that he ate two slices of cake on one day.  Unprecedented.  

I would describe this as a “manly” cake, no fancy icings and thus not too sweet. 

I’ve always loved McVities ginger cake and this has the taste of it without its density. 

Ginger Cake

Ingredients

4 oz/115 gr butter

4 oz/115 gr sugar

1 egg, beaten

8 oz/225 gr self raising flour 

1/2 tspn cinnamon

2 tspn ground ginger

1/4 tspn grated/ground nutmeg 

4 fl oz/125 ml milk

2 tbspn black treacle

Method 

Preheat over to 180c/325F/gas mark 3.

Line or grease and flour a 2lb loaf tin.

Cream the butter and sugar.

Beat the egg into the mixture, a little at a time.

Mix all the dry ingredients together then add to the mixture. 

Gradually mix in the milk to create a smooth thick batter. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a knife or skewer comes out clean. 

Cool on a rack, then ...

Enjoy!

And here’s the book that has converted TP to cake lover. 

It’s filled with plain and simple recipes and I’ve dipped into this book so much over the years. 

This book is on my Desert Island Cookbook list.  Should there ever be such a variation on this long-running radio programme and should I be considered a celebrity worthy of being invited.  

If those two unlikely events should align themselves in the heavens then I will be ready with my list and good to go.

Meantime, Happy Baking!

A la perchoine,

Mary x.