This weekend I have been up to my elbows in food as I have a freelance gig on at the moment that requires quite a few new recipes. It’s been fun though. I popped 6Music on the radio and pottered away for hours cooking, photographing, editing, cleaning and writing. I also made a Rum Cake as my leaving gift for my temp job on Monday. I call it the Rum-dum-dum-dum-dum cake because bad puns are always necessary during the party season (that’s a massive lie – puns are for life, not just for Christmas). But, basically, it is a rum cake which tastes delicious with a dollop of extra thick cream.
Rum and Ginger Cake
Ingredients
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125g butter
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175g golden syrup
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300g flour
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2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
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2 tsp ground ginger
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2 tsp ground cinnamon
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2 tsp ground black pepper
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200g caster sugar
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1 generous pinch of salt
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240ml milk
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2 eggs, lightly beaten
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100g glacé ginger, finely chopped
For the syrup
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50g caster sugar
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30ml water
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50ml Rum
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1 tsp ground ginger
For the Icing
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300g icing sugar, sifted
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1 tbsp water
Method
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Preheat the oven to 170C and line a round baking tin with greaseproof baking paper (I used my 9in springform tin)
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In a small saucepan, melt together the butter and golden syrup on a low heat until melted and combined. Set aside to slightly cool.
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Using a large bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon and pepper.
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Next, stir in the sugar and salt followed by the milk and eggs. Mix until smooth.
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Slowly add the melted syrup-butter mixture to the large bowl, mixing continually.
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Fold in the chopped glacé ginger.
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Pour the mixture into the baking tin. Don’t be alarmed by how runny the mixture is. It will set as a wonderfully springy cake.
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Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes, depending on your oven. (Do not open the oven door before 45 minutes or it will sink.) The cake should be firm to touch.
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Allow to stand for 15 minutes before making the syrup
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In a small milkpan bring the ingredients to a simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then prick the cake all over with a fine skewer and pour the syrup over the cake. Allow to cool.
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Once the cake is cool, remove from the tin and place on a plate. Mix together the icing sugar, lemon juice and water until thick and smooth. Using a palette knife or the back of a spoon spread the icing carefully over the top of the cake maybe allowing a little bit to drip over the edges.
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Allow the icing to set before scoffing a large slice with a cup of your favourite warm beverage.